[Point-pricking method with fire needle for knee osteoarthritis: a randomized controlled trial]

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Traditional Chinese Medicine
• Pain Management

Background:

• Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a degenerative joint disease causing pain and reduced mobility.
• Conventional treatments for KOA have limitations, necessitating exploration of alternative therapies.
• Fire needle therapy is a technique within Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) involving heated needles.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of the point-pricking method with fire needle for KOA symptoms.
• To compare the effects of fire needle therapy with conventional filiform needle acupuncture.
• To assess the impact on physio-psychological health in KOA patients.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial involving 66 KOA patients divided into fire needle and filiform needle groups.
• Both groups received standard health management alongside their respective needling treatments.
• Acupoints included ST34, SP10, ST35, EX-LE4, GB34, ST36, and Ashi points, with treatment twice weekly for 6 weeks.

Main Results:

• Both groups showed significant improvements in WOMAC, TCM symptoms, VAS scores, and SF-12 scores post-treatment.
• The fire needle group demonstrated superior reductions in WOMAC and VAS scores compared to the filiform needle group.
• The fire needle group also showed greater improvements in general health scores on the SF-12, with no adverse effects reported in either group.

Conclusions:

• The point-pricking method with fire needle is a safe and effective treatment for KOA.
• Fire needle therapy shows superiority over conventional filiform needle acupuncture in improving knee joint function and pain relief.
• Fire needle therapy enhances the quality of life for patients with knee osteoarthritis.