Acupuncture: An Effective Treatment for RA
Rheumatoid arthritis is a painful joint condition, affecting over one million adult Americans each year, according to the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. Though there is currently no cure for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), acupuncture is one way in which you can achieve natural pain relief from RA symptoms.
What is Rheumatoid Arthritis?
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune condition where the body’s immune system attacks its own joint lining and stimulates the release of inflammatory substances.
Rheumatoid arthritis presents in several symptoms including:
· Joint pain
· Stiffness lasting for more than one hour in the morning
· Hot joints
· Swelling in at least three joints, which lasts at least six weeks
· Small bumps under the skin, which occur at certain pressure points, such as the soles of the feet and elbows
· Rheumatoid factor present in blood test results
Acupuncture
Acupuncture has been a part of traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years, and acupuncture has been used in Chinese cultures to treat health problems for ages. Acupuncture is based on the theory that we have energy that flows within us in invisible pathways known as meridians. However, when the meridians become blocked, disease occurs. Acupuncturists believe when the flow of energy is restored, the body can start to heal itself from disease.
Research Supporting the Effectiveness of Acupuncture for Rheumatoid Arthritis
In 1987, a study was conducted in Russia to discover the effectiveness of acupuncture on RA. The researchers split 15 participants into two groups. One group containing nine participants received ten sessions of electroacupuncture treatment on the ear while the other group, containing six participants received sham electroacupuncture. Sham electroacupuncture was accomplished by not turning on the electroacupuncture device during the treatment session.
Participants rated various aspects of RA, such as their pain and inflammation both before the study started and after ten acupuncture sessions were complete. They found that participants who received the real acupuncture treatments improved significantly. In fact, significant improvement was seen on seven out of eight of the RA aspects participants rated.
However, those who received the sham acupuncture sessions did not show significant improvement. Only one of the participants noted any improvement on RA symptoms after the sham sessions while three of the participants reported no change and two of the participants noted worsening symptoms.
In another study, 29 participants were randomly assigned to two groups in order to determine the effectiveness of acupuncture for RA patients with knee pain. In one group, participants received steroid injections in one painful knee while receiving acupuncture treatments in the other knee. In the other group, participants received steroid injections in one knee and sham acupuncture in the other knee. Additionally, the researchers assessed symptoms before the study, 24 hours after receiving treatment, and periodically for three months after receiving treatment.
The researchers discovered that all participants reported getting some relief from the steroid injections. They also found that while 90% of participants receiving real acupuncture reported moderate improvement in symptoms, only 10% of those who received sham acupuncture reported such improvement in symptoms.
It seems clear that acupuncture may be used by individuals who suffer from rheumatoid arthritis to achieve natural pain relief.
Sources:
Alternative Cures That Really Work by Ronald Hoffman, M.D. and Barry Fox, Ph.D.
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion: Data and Statistics: Rheumatoid Arthritis Statistics
No time to comment, Nothing in particular to say?
To be notified by email when there are new blog entries, 
