Acupuncture is a great alternative to consider in reducing pain, stiffness, inflammation, and improving the range of motion, in your knee, shoulder, hip, and other joints, especially after your surgery. Acupuncture can reduce the swelling quickly and reduce the scar tissue in the near future.

The knee is a major and complex joint of the human body and it performs an imperative role in supporting our body weight. When standing, the knees can bear up to 70% of one’s body weight and the tension on it can go up 6-8-fold while running, walking, or while climbing up or going down a flight of stairs. Confronted with such a daunting task, it is exceptionally prone to strain, injuries, as well as deterioration. That is how osteoarthritis develops if your knees work too hard for too long without any protection.

Causes of knee pain

Osteoarthritis also identified as degenerative joint illness, or wear and tear of the knee, which might come as age progresses, is a leading cause. For individuals who are obese or ardent sprinters, whose knees tend to endure greater stress. In osteoarthritis, the cartilage that reduces and cushions friction amongst the bones in the knee joint are eroded. This causes pain and abrasion when these bones brush against each other. Moreover, there are other causes for knee pain such as meniscal injury, collateral ligament injury (medial or lateral) as well as cruciate ligament injury or a dislocation of the knee which is quite common. Rheumatoid, uric acid, and psoriatic arthritis are also common reasons leading to knee pain. In each condition, inflammation is the key factor leading to knee pain. If there is no inflammation, you only experience stiffness and discomfort when you try to run or go up and downstairs.

More about acupuncture

Acupuncture is a division of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), which comes with a wealthy history and descent dating back thousands of years. It entails implanting and careful maneuvering of hair-thin needles into the body to stimulate anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving effects. No two patients are considered the same. Some patients get better with just needles. Others require a more engaging method, such as electro-acupuncture, moxa, or herbal remedy. Some patients with knee pain can get better with 3 treatments; others may require more than 12 treatments.

Acupuncture as a relief to knee pain

For knee pain, acupuncture can also be mixed with traditional therapies, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines, physiotherapy, and/or injections. In addition, when it comes to knee pain, acupuncture can also bring short-term relief from the discomfort until a knee replacement surgery is done. Acupuncture clears up the inflammation around the knee joint before and after surgery, so knee replacement can yield a higher success rate and the patient will not have to have another surgery after a few years. When the muscles and tendons around the knee joints are more balanced, the artificial knee joint can function better and last longer. Acupuncture can improve the general quality of life, indicating that you can better contribute to all your day-to-day pursuits, whether that is at the park, at work, or at the gym.

Research studies promoting acupuncture for knee pain

Concerning knee pain, acupuncture has been discovered to be a key source of relief from inflammation, pain, and rigidity of the joint. As confirmed by research published as ‘Acupuncture and Osteoarthritis of the Knee a Review of Randomized, Controlled Trials, (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2810544/) it has been quoted that: “Acupuncture should be considered a viable adjunct or alternative treatment of knee pain and dysfunction associated with osteoarthritis of the knee”. Acupuncture brings holistic healing to an individual.

Author's Bio: 

Dr. Li Zheng is a licensed acupuncturist and herbalist. Graduated from the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Li Zheng now has 26 years of clinical experience. She holds a Ph.D. in neuroscience from the US and is a Harvard Medical School-trained researcher and a professor at the New England School of Acupuncture. To know more about how acupuncture can help knee pain, please visit https://bostonchineseacupuncture.org/