Acupuncture Treatment For Hip Osteoarthritis

Acupuncture is a process by which thin needles are inserted into specific points in the body, commonly to relieve chronic pain. Acupuncture is usually administered by licensed professionals trained in acupuncture and herbal medicine. Osteoarthritis of the knee and hip is a common cause of disability in older Americans, and acupuncture is often used to manage pain related to this condition. In recent years, use of acupuncture has increased, with 16% reporting use of acupuncture for joint pain or stiffness in a national sample.

History of Acupuncture

Acupuncture is a part of traditional Chinese medicine and originated in China thousands of years ago. Although multiple techniques are used, many people are familiar with the use of needles to penetrate points on the body. In traditional Chinese medicine, the main goal is to achieve balance within the body. In any disease, the Chinese believe that the yin and yang, two opposing forces within the body, are not balanced, which leads to blockage of vital energy pathways called qi. Acupuncture points on the body are connected to these pathways, and needles are used along with pressure from the hands or electrostimulation to unblock qi and thus restore balance.

Research

Most studies evaluating acupuncture treatment for osteoarthritis of the hip have also included individuals with knee osteoarthritis. Therefore, it is difficult to determine the effectiveness of this treatment specifically in a population of individuals with hip osteoarthritis. A recent study in the "Annals of Internal Medicine" found that acupuncture was associated with short-term improvements in pain and function compared with usual care or wait list in individuals with osteoarthritis. Another study, by Y.D. Kwon et al., compiled data from 18 acupuncture trials and found greater pain reduction with the use of acupuncture compared with controls in a majority of the trials. However, the number and duration of acupuncture treatments varied widely, ranging from 5 to 45 treatments over 2 to 26 weeks, making recommendations for treatment difficult. Additional studies are necessary to confirm these results. At present, evidence suggests a benefit with acupuncture for osteoarthritis of the hip, but acupuncture should not be the first option for treatment.

Controversies

Because of the lack of knowledge regarding proper number and spacing of acupuncture treatments, there is no consensus as to perform studies evaluating acupuncture for chronic pain syndromes. It is difficult to compare study results if treatment groups and duration of therapy are highly variable, and thus clear recommendations for proper treatment cannot be made. Also, acupuncturists use different needle locations and depths, which also make comparisons difficult.

Tags: individuals with, points body, acupuncture treatments, Chinese medicine, chronic pain