Part I
In a November 2006 edition of the Journal of Arthritis and Rheumatism, a study was published by German researchers regarding acupuncture and its lasting pain relief in osteoarthritis patients, specifically regarding hip and knee arthritis.
In this study, 3,600 adults with hip and knee arthritis were evaluated. German researchers found that those individuals who underwent acupuncture treatment, along with their routine rheumatology treatment showed greater improvement in their overall pain levels, stiffness, and joint function than individuals who just underwent standard, rheumatological care. Even more impressive to the researchers was the fact that the symptomatic relief and functional change was still there three months after the patient’s last acupuncture session.
This study, along with past research regarding the same issue of arthritic change, offers enough evidence according to the lead researcher in this study, Dr. Claudia M. Witt, to recommend acupuncture for knee and hip arthritis patients.
The theory regarding acupuncture
is that it may alter pain signals being transmitted to the brain or effective
release of various pain related chemicals in the central nervous system. In this study, 712 patients were randomly
assigned to either remain on their standard treatment or have acupuncture
added. Their regimen of care lasted for
three months.
The rest of the study participants did not want to be randomly assigned to a
group and were allowed to have acupuncture.
After three months of therapy the researchers found that the acupuncture
patients showed an overall improvement on their pain score averages while the
non-acupuncture group receiving standard pharmalogical rheumatology care
remained unchanged.
About one third of the acupuncture group had a 50% or more reduction in their symptoms. This is one of the largest clinical trials of acupuncture to date. Similar studies in the United States have found acupuncture treatment to be equally effective. According to Dr. Witt, “the most important point is that the professional who provides the acupuncture treatment is well educated and experienced.” As with all other forms of alternative treatment, it is important that the provider of that treatment be well trained and have a quality educational level relative to your overall health.
Another study I came upon was published on November 6 of this year, in the Journal of Arthritis and Rheumatism. This study was performed by researchers at the University of Arizona College of Medicine. These researchers found that a household spice may prevent rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis.
As you know, rheumatoid arthritis is a form of a progressively debilitating erosive arthritic change of the joints, and osteoporosis is a bone thinning disorder in which calcium deposition in the bones is reduced. Turmeric was the specific spice that was studied.
Turmeric is used extensively in Indian cooking; however, is found in many spice racks in the United States. Turmeric has been shown in the past to have strong anti-inflammatory effects, and its primary ingredient, curcumin, has shown to be effective in the treatment of certain forms of cancer as well.
The scientists describe their study as the first to demonstrate curcumin’s anti-arthritic qualities in a living specimen. Centinarily, Curcumin was found to inhibit the pathways involved in the breakdown of the bone, therefore, these researchers feel that another study should be performed regarding the effect of curcumin on osteoporosis.
We are seeing more and more the effects of alternative health care being validated through quality research studies such as these being performed at major universities and medical colleges throughout the country.
For more information on this and other studies, please take some time to visit our website, www.upchiropractic.com. If you would like to receive more information regarding alternative health care issues, please email us at upchiropractic@verizon.net and request to be added to our newsletter mailing list.