Long-needle acupuncture at ashi points better than NSAIDs for knee osteoarthritis

Long-needle acupuncture at ashi points better than NSAIDs for knee osteoarthritis

Acupuncture using long needles inserted at ashi points can provide better improvements in knee joint function, pain relief, and quality of life than oral celecoxib for patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA), according to research carried out in China. A total of 105 female patients with early-to-middle-stage KOA were randomly assigned to an observation group (treated with long-needle oblique insertion at ashi points) or a control group (treated with oral celecoxib, 0.2 g daily). Both treatments lasted for two weeks, after which all participants began functional exercise programmes. Outcomes, including joint function scores (WOMAC), pain levels (VAS), and quality of life (SF-12), were assessed before treatment, after treatment and at six-week follow-up. Both groups showed significant improvements in WOMAC and VAS scores after treatment and during follow-up. However, the observation group demonstrated superior results, with lower WOMAC scores and higher SF-12 scores than the control group after treatment and during follow-up. (Effect of oblique insertion at ashi point with long needle on joint function in female patients with knee osteoarthritis of early and middle stages. Zhongguo Zhen Jiu. 2024 Sep 12;44(9):1017-22).

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39318292/