Acupuncture for Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is a very common health issue, especially for those who are above middle age. It is the gradual breaking down of the joints. As you can imagine, osteoarthritis can be rather painful for the patient. Here is how osteoarthritis arises.

Between all our joints, there is a layer of membrane, known as cartilage. When we are young, the cartilage helps facilitate movement by acting as a lubricating membrane. The cartilage helps to prevent the bones from rubbing against each other when there is movement.

However, as the body grows older, the cartilage starts to degenerate. Cartilage that is eroded can no longer act as an effective layer of protection for the bones. As a result, whenever there is movement, there will be pain experienced. In many cases, swelling (caused by inflammation) follows the soreness.

There are several causes for osteoarthritis. The disease can be caused by heredity, old age, injury, or even overuse. That is why even those in their 20s or 30s have a chance of suffering from osteoarthritis.

Someone who is suffering from osteoarthritis should seek treatment as early as possible for 2 reasons. The first reason is to prevent further damage to the cartilage. The second reason is to ease the pain, soreness and swelling that accompany osteoarthritis.

As inflammation using occurs around the affected joints, there is a need to treat the inflammation. Many western physicians like to prescribe anti-inflammation drugs that are steroids based. However, there are side effects to such drugs. In fact, recent studies have shown that repeated use of such drugs can induce osteoarthritis, thus making the situation even worse. Therefore, in years, doctors from all around the world have been looking at non-steroid ways to treat osteoarthritis.

One way to treat osteoarthritis is through acupuncture, and the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines (NSAIMs). A controlled clinical trial has shown that 70% of the patients experienced pain relief right after the acupuncture treatment.

Acupuncture is not a new discovery. It originated in the East, and many Western doctors are learning to adopt this ancient treatment method. It involves using thin needles to stimulate the pressure points in the body. The Chinese believe that the body has over 2000 pressure points. When the energy (Chi) in the body is balanced, the body will heal automatically. Thus, the main goal of applying acupuncture is to stimulate these pressure points so that the obstructions can be cleared and the energy can flow easily.

In the Western world, these pressure points are part of the central nervous system. When stimulated, special chemicals are such as neurotransmitters and hormones are released, helping the body to heal.

By using acupuncture to help treat osteoarthritis, there is less reliance of steroid based medication. The treatment helps to relief pain quickly for the patient, and allow the affected joints to heal gradually and naturally.