Researchers confirm that acupuncture is more effective than two drugs (ibuprofen and diclofenac) for long-term relief of knee osteoarthritis pain, inflammation, and motor impairment. In one investigation, acupuncture plus herbal medicine outperformed acupuncture plus ibuprofen for pain relief. In another independent investigation, acupuncture outperformed diclofenac for relief of pain, inflammation, and motor impairment due to knee osteoarthritis. Let’s take a look at both investigations.
Acupuncture plus herbs outperforms ibuprofen for the alleviation of knee pain, inflammation, and dysfunction. Guangxi Lingshan County Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine researchers investigated the benefits of drugs, electroacupuncture, and herbal medicine for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis. The results of the randomized-controlled clinical trial finds acupuncture plus herbs more effective than the ibuprofen (a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug) plus acupuncture protocol.
All patients in the study suffered from pain and dysfunction due to knee osteoarthritis. Patients receiving a special herbal formula for knee dysfunction plus an acupuncture point prescription administered with electroacupuncture stimulation had an 86.7% total effective rate. Another group of patients received ibuprofen drug therapy plus electroacupuncture, but without any herbal medicine. That group had a 63.3% total effective rate. Both groups had effective relief, but the group receiving electroacupuncture plus herbs outperformed the group receiving electroacupuncture plus ibuprofen by 23.4%.
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