Acupuncture and Osteoarthritis
By Mehrdad Tavallaee, MD, DABMA
Board Certified in Internal Medicine
Board certified in Acupuncture
Certified in Chinese Herbal Medicine
419-289-1133
Osteoarthritis, referred to as OA, is a very common disease. Millions of Americans suffer from this chronic disease and spent billions of dollars for treatments - from medications to cortisone shot and eventually joint replacements.
In general, OA is wear and tear of the joints over a life time, which causes inflammation and pain in the joints.
There are different types of treatment for this condition, including:
1) Life style changes such as weight loss and exercises;
2) Pain medications such as acetaminophen or Tylenol;
3) Anti inflammatory products such as Ibuprofen, Naprosyn , Aleve;
5) Alternative medicine approach such as Acupuncture and Herbs;
4) Cortisone shot, which is the injection of steroid directly in the joints, and;
5) Surgical interventions such as arthroscopic or open procedures.
Acupuncture is a very effective method in treatment for OA. In this method, multiple acupuncture needles are used in different locations, called acupuncture points. The purpose is to unblock the blocked energy channel for the smooth flow of energy in the affected joint.
It is believed that the blockage of the acupuncture channels, or weakness in the kidneys energy are the main reasons for the development of OA.
Acupuncture is commonly used to treat OA of the knees, hips, shoulders, elbows, wrists, and ankles. It is also used for the treatment of low back pain and neck pain.
To treat this condition, some acupuncture needles are used to unblock the channels, and some needles are connected to a very low voltage electrical stimulation to tonify the kidneys.
This is a very effective form of treatment, with almost no side effects or complications, although small bruising where the needles are placed is possible. The risk of infection is extremely low.
If you have any questions, please call Mid Ohio Internal Medicine Specialists at 419-289-1133, 7:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday.
