Originally published February 7 2006
Studies show acupuncture offers relief from osteoarthritis
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
The Birmingham News provides important information about recent studies conducted on the effects of acupuncture, including its ability to relieve the osteoarthritis-related pains in the knee.
Martha Ivey sometimes would see only a single patient a day when she started her acupuncture practice a decade ago in Birmingham.
Now, she often sees up to 15 a day.
"I stay busy," said Ivey, a doctor of Oriental medicine who trained in California.
Ivey is among a growing number of acupuncturists who have found a niche in Western medicine.
Many of her referrals are from practicing physicians, and she describes her treatments as being complementary.
Dr. Wendy Arthur, a Birmingham physician who also practices alternative medicine, has referred patients to Ivey and said the results have been good.
"I've seen really good work done with it," she said.
Even though acupuncture is gaining acceptance, she added, not all doctors are sold on it.
"My colleagues still pooh-pooh it," she said.
But research is beginning to support acupuncture, to a degree.
Last year a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that acupuncture helped patients with osteoarthritis of the knee.
The study at the University of Maryland followed 570 patients for six months.
A third of the participants received acupuncture treatment, a third received a sham acupuncture procedure and a third attended an educational program on arthritis.
Participants were allowed to use conventional care, such as anti-inflammatory medicines.
In eight weeks, the acupuncture group had better knee function than the other groups.
In 14 weeks, the acupuncture group also was experiencing significantly less pain, researchers reported.
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