Originally published August 6 2005
Sore knees find relief
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Study findings recently released state that chronic knee pain can sometimes be reduced with acupuncture.
THE QUESTION: People whose knees chronically ache because of worn- away cartilage and cushioning often turn to painkilling drugs to keep themselves moving.
THIS STUDY randomly assigned 294 people with osteoarthritis of the knee to 12 acupuncture treatments, to fake acupuncture (with the needles only superficially inserted and not at acupuncture points) or to a waiting list.
After eight weeks, knee pain and stiffness had decreased to half its original level in 52 percent of the acupuncture group, 28 percent of the fake acupuncture group and 3 percent of those on the waiting list.
Age, obesity, overuse and injury are believed to contribute to its development.
CAVEATS: Findings were based on the participants' ratings of their pain, which may vary by an individual's perception of tolerable discomfort.
Eighty-eight percent of the participants indicated that they believed acupuncture would help their condition, which may have affected their ratings.
THE QUESTION: The medication generally used to treat children with the aggressive, disruptive behavior that often accompanies autism worries some parents because of the potential for neurological side effects.
Might risperidone - a newer medication, used with few side effects by adults with schizophrenia - work for autistic children?
THIS STUDY involved 63 youths, 5 to 17 years old and mostly boys, who had benefited from having taken risperidone for eight weeks.
All participants took the drug for 16 weeks more.
Overall, about 83 percent were described as much or very much improved in their behavior after the additional 16 weeks, 9 percent improved mildly, and 8 percent recorded worse behavior.
The authors speculated that more gradual tapering of the dose may have allowed the behavioral improvements made during treatment to be maintained longer.
FIND THIS STUDY: July issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry; abstract available online at ajp.psychiatryonline.org.
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