Evidence of Acupuncture Reducing Chronic Pain Such as Arthritis

A study published in Archives of Internal Medicine found that acupuncture can be used to help treat chronic pain like arthritis. The study found that acupuncture was more effective than other alternative treatments and standard care for people suffering from osteoarthritis and other chronic pain such as migraines and back, neck and shoulder pain. The researchers compared results from acupuncture against results from sham acupuncture.

Sham acupuncture is essentially fake acupuncture that is used as a placebo or controlled group in studies. Results showed that there were significant differences between true acupuncture and the placebo. These results indicated that acupuncture is effective when treating osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis.

If you or someone you know is suffering from arthritis, refer them to an acupuncturist for alternative treatment options.