With an estimated 70 million Americans suffering from some form of arthritis, pain relief is a subject of great interest. While a number of treatment options are available, effective remedies for pain may lie with a therapy that has been around for millennia.

Acupuncturists and Oriental medicine practitioners have been treating pain for thousands of years. During an acupuncture treatment, fine needles are inserted at specific points along the meridians just under the skin to stimulate, disperse and balance the flow of energy. But while the Eastern philosophy surrounding acupuncture seems foreign to some Americans, a recent study published in the “Annals of Internal Medicine” showed acupuncture’s ability to relieve pain and improve functionality in patients with arthritis of the knee. The study revealed that patients who had 23 sessions of acupuncture during six months reported significantly better knee function by the eighth week of treatment and a marked decrease in pain by the 14th week.

Mark McKenzie, LAc, MaOM, dean of Northwestern Health Sciences University’s Minnesota College of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine in Bloomington, Minn., says that in addition to acupuncture, there are a number of other traditional Chinese medicine practices that can be beneficial in relieving the pain associated with arthritis, including herbal formulas, gentle exercise and dietary changes.

Joint pain can be substantially affected with consistent gentle exercises such as qi gong, tai qi, and long walks . Qi (chee) is the Chinese term for the body’s vital energy. McKenzie points out that qi is a big factor in many types of pain. “People may not realize that depression, stress, and inactivity all lead to qi imbalance,” says McKenzie. “Suggestions for pain management may well include developing more comprehensive ways of dealing with mental and emotional stress. For instance, choosing among herbs for the inflammation associated with arthritis, an Oriental medicine practitioner can also select those that have a calming effect on the mind.”

Chinese herbs have been used for literally thousands of years providing relief to patients from many disharmonies including pain. When an acupuncturist or Oriental medicine practitioner recommends a certain herbal formula, that combination of herbs has typically been studied and refined over the course of many generations. As a condition changes — due to seasonal, dietary, emotional, or other factors — the practitioner can alter the formula so that they continue to address the patient’s specific needs.  Formulas are individually tailored to each patient.

“Acupuncture and Oriental medicine may also provide a means of avoiding the unsettling side effects often associated with long-term use of prescription drugs,” says McKenzie. “Traditional Chinese medicine offers time-tested treatments that not only relieve pain, but also provide a natural approach to health care.”

Source: Natural Health News Service, Northwestern Health Sciences University