Recently there was small study which has demonstrated that acupuncture, and particularly electro-acupuncture, appears to be effective in reducing joint pain, stiffness and swelling in rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
Rheumatoid Arthritis is an autoimmune disease that causes chronic inflammation of the joints. Over 2 million Americans are living with rheumatoid arthritis.
36 patients, average age 58, suffering from rheumatoid arthritis that was unresponsive to other therapies, were assigned to three groups and received either electro-acupuncture, traditional acupuncture or ‘placebo acupuncture’. All received twenty treatments over ten weeks. The points used in the first two groups were Yangchi SJ-4, Waiguan SJ-5, Yangxi L.I.-5, Wangu SI-4, Dazhui DU-14 and Quchi L.I.-11.
A total of 29 patients completed the study and most of the drop-outs (because of inefficacy) were in the placebo group. In both the acupuncture groups the number of tender joints and physician’s global scores were significantly reduced. (Efficacy of Traditional Chinese Acupuncture in the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA): A Double-blind Controlled Pilot Study.
American College of Rheumatology Annual Scientific Meeting, November 2006).
Along with acupuncture, Chinese herbs for arthritis can greatly enhance the relief of joint pain, stiffness and swelling in rheumatoid arthritis.
