Acupuncture / Acupressure diminishes pain by “untying muscular straitjackets – releasing tight, spasmed, shortened muscles to their resting state,” explains Tim Rhudy, an acupuncturist practicing in Delmar, New York. It also helps stimulate the release of natural pain-fighting endorphins. Yet these benefits have been hard to prove, because high-quality studies on the subject of arthritis and acupuncture have been limited. Here’s a look at some of the recent research that has been done:
OA. Like previous research, a 2014 study in JAMAfound people who had acupuncture had slightly less pain compared with those who had no treatment. The authors concluded the results weren’t significant enough to support recommending acupuncture. Yet for patients in pain, even a limited benefit might be enough to justify trying the treatment.
RA. Studies on acupuncture for RA have largely been of poor quality. They haven’t been able to prove the treatment offers any significant improvement in joint swelling, damage, or other measures of the disease. However, acupuncture may help certain people with their pain.
Fibromyalgia. In a 2014 review article in Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, researchers analyzed the results of nine studies on acupuncture for fibromyalgia. Though a few studies found acupuncture worked better than drugs to manage the condition, most of the studies weren’t well designed. The authors concluded there wasn’t enough evidence to prove acupuncture works better than placebo. They say more research is needed.
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