How Acupuncture Can Help with Knee Osteoarthritis

If you’re dealing with knee osteoarthritis, you know how frustrating and painful it can be. One common condition that causes pain, stiffness, and trouble moving is knee osteoarthritis. Prescription medications, physical therapy, and anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen are often recommended, however according to recent research, acupuncture may be a very useful treatment for knee arthritic symptoms, providing pain relief and enhancing mobility, particularly when paired with tuina massage¹.

What is Acupuncture?

Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese treatment in which a qualified practitioner inserts small, thin needles into particular locations of the body. These body locations are linked to energy channels that help maintain the balance of the body’s “qi,” or energy flow. Acupuncture points around the knees and legs are used to treat knee arthritis. When paired with tuina, a Chinese massage therapy that combines pressing, rolling, and kneading, increases the advantages of acupuncture by boosting blood flow, relieving tight joints, and relaxing muscles¹.

How Does It Work for Knee Osteoarthritis²?

1. Boosts Blood Flow: The needles increase blood flow, which can reduce inflammation in the affected area.
2. Releases Feel-Good Chemicals: During an acupuncture treatment, endorphins, serotonin, and dopamine are released, which can help alleviate discomfort and improve your mood.
3. Pain Reduction: Release of natural pain killer endorphins and blocking of pain signals help relief pain.
4. Improving Joint Function: Another benefit of reduced inflammation and increased blood flow is its benefit of being able to move joints flexibly.
5. Improving General Well-Being: Acupuncture’s all-encompassing approach promotes mental peace in addition to curing physical illnesses.
6. Electroacupuncture treatments: Needles are placed at key points near the knee, such as GB34 (Yanglingquan) and GB33 (Xiyangguan), and connected to a device that delivers a mild electric current. This helps by alleviating pain and restoring knee joint function.

Benefits Over Medications

Ibuprofen helps alleviate pain and inflammation, but extended use may cause stomach troubles and hormonal imbalances. Natural remedies such as tuina and acupuncture do not have these negative effects. They not only relieve pain, but also help to improve the overall health of your joints¹.

Takeaway

If you’re interested, speak with our acupuncturist, Andrew (Yuhyun) Chung. It may take several sessions to see results, but many people believe it is worth the effort.
It provides a natural solution to relieve pain and enhance knee function without the adverse effects that are sometimes linked with drugs. If you have knee arthritis, acupuncture may be beneficial as part of your treatment approach.

References:

1.HealthCMI. (2021, January). Acupuncture Beats Ibuprofen For Knee Arthritis . ACUPUNCTURE AND HERBAL MEDICINE NEWS AND RESOURCE CENTER. October 11, 2024, https://www.nccaom.org/resources/acupuncture-and-herbal-medicine-news-and-resource-center/

2.HealthCMI. (2018, March 1). Acupuncture Alleviates Knee Arthritis Confirmed. ACUPUNCTURE AND HERBAL MEDICINE NEWS AND RESOURCE CENTER. October 11, 2024, https://www.nccaom.org/resources/acupuncture-and-herbal-medicine-news-and-resource-center/

Author: Krupa Patel (BA Health Sciences, SFU), Under the guidance of Dr Dr Andrew Chung.

Dr. Yuhyun “Andrew” Chung is a registered Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) with the College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners and Acupuncturists of British Columbia (CTCMA). Born and raised in Seoul, South Korea, he made the transition to Canada in 2014. Additionally, he holds a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from Yonsei University in Seoul.

Dr. Andrew’s daily practice focuses on addressing a wide range of health concerns, including pain, sports injuries, stress, insomnia, depression, skin issues, and women’s health, among others. In his approach to patient care, he frequently incorporates diverse therapeutic modalities to ensure optimal results. Acupuncture, herbal medicine, gua sha, cupping, and trigger point therapy represent just a selection of the methods he employs in his practice.
Furthermore, Dr. Andrew serves as an instructor for VaCC, imparting his expertise to third-year TCM students. Presently, he is based at the Evergreen Clinic in Langley and Surrey.

Dr. Andrew possesses a strong educational background and extensive training, including:
* Bachelor of Science (B.Sc) degree from Yonsei University.
* Graduated with Honors in Acupuncture (D.Ac) from PCU College.
* Graduated with a Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine degree at Tzu Chi International College of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
* Registered Acupuncturist (R.Ac.).
* Registered Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Dr.TCM)