Total Therapy Blog

Acupuncture and Osteoarthritis of the Knee November 17, 2010 (0) Comments in Healthy Tips by Total Therapy

What is Osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease which slowly wears away the cartilage (soft cushion between the bones) within the joint.  It is characterized by pain, stiffness and a reduced range of motion.  It can occur in one or both knees.

What Causes Osteoarthritis?

While it is not fully understood why the cartilage wears away, we do know that it is a “wear and tear” disease which is aggravated by several factors.  For example, a past injury can increase your chances of developing osteoarthritis.  It typically affects you with aging and is more common in people who are obese.  It is also twice as common in woman as men.

How is Osteoarthritis Treated?

Your doctor will probably recommend therapies that help you manage the pain.  Here are some of the most common:

• Avoid activities that aggravate the pain
• Ice the affected joint to reduce swelling/inflammation and reduce pain
• Strengthen your joint with exercises prescribed by your physiotherapist or kinesiologist
• Use of medication / joint injections as prescribed by your physician
• Surgery if required

How can Acupuncture Help?

Acupuncture is an effective, clinically proven method for reducing the symptoms of Osteoarthritis and is an excellent alternative to injection therapy.  It leads to lowered levels of pain and immobility associated with the disease.  In addition, there are no side effects or adverse reactions to acupuncture. People who receive the treatment report less pain, greater mobility, and higher quality of life. Many scientific studies have confirmed that acupuncture works as an excellent addition to conventional treatment of this very common disease.

At Total Therapy, we have an experienced Registered Acupuncturist, fully qualified in BC.  Call Total Therapy today if you have any questions about Acupuncture.

This article was contributed by our Acupuncturist, Bronwyn Melville, TCM. P.

If you have any questions, please feel free to call us at 604.437.9355 or browse through our website for more information!