📋 Research supports the use of acupuncture for reducing pain and improving mobility in both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

In a 2019 randomized controlled trial, acupuncture was found to reduce pain and improve mobility in osteoarthritis of the knee, together with usual care (biomedicine, typically NSAIDs), compared to usual care alone.

In addition, a systematic review of osteoarthritis of the knee was carried out with similar results. The study “reported the effectiveness of acupuncture on pain relief and functional recovery in patients with [knee osteoarthritis].”

🌿 They also noted that acupuncture had fewer adverse reactions (i.e., side effects) than western medical treatment.

Although a lot of osteoarthritis research has been done specifically on the knee, I also have patients who have found it to be incredibly helpful in managing OA pain in other joints as well.

For example, osteoarthritis of the hip, vertebrae of the neck or low back, and the hand. In another recent study, researchers found that acupuncture had a positive effect on pain relief, physical function and health-related quality of life outcomes in rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Have questions about acupuncture for arthritis? Feel free to reply to this email. Ready to try acupuncture to help manage your arthritis pain?

Erica Nabers is a board-certified acupuncture physician who helps patients from her clinic in North Port. She’s a graduate of the East West College of Natural Medicine in Sarasota. She specializes in a personal and compassionate approach to helping you feel better naturally.