Knee pain

Knee pain could either be acute or chronic. A detailed clinical evaluation and investigations such as an X ray or MRI are mandatory. Patients mostly get referred to us either by their orthopedician, after refusing a steroid injection in the joint space or post long-term ingestion of anti-inflammatory drugs.
Knee pain can be one of the most debilitating pain syndromes that majorly impacts a person’s everyday life.

2 3

Knee pain

Knee pain could either be acute or chronic. A detailed clinical evaluation and investigations such as an X ray or MRI are mandatory. Patients mostly get referred to us either by their orthopedician, after refusing a steroid injection in the joint space or post long-term ingestion of anti-inflammatory drugs.
Knee pain can be one of the most debilitating pain syndromes that majorly impacts a person’s everyday life.

Causative Factors :

As per Classical Chinese Medicine, chronic knee pain is a result of degeneration due to Kidney Qi deficiency as well as invasion of pathogens such as cold and dampness. Sub-acute cases due to a past history of trauma could also cause long standing ligament injury, thereby impeding the Qi flow.
  • We have found, Acupuncture works the best in the following conditions:
  • Degenerative conditions such as osteoarthritis
  • Autoimmune conditions such as Rheumatoid arthritis
  • Ligament injury
  • Tendinitis or Bursitis
  • Red flag: For conditions such as fracture, infection or tumors, medical or surgical intervention may be warranted.
Menopause, obesity and leading a sedentary lifestyle all are major aggravating factors in worsening the chronic knee pain. Because of the pain, most patients can’t even go on walks and they gain weight which eventually puts more pressure on the knees. This becomes a vicious cycle till the knee joint is damaged to an extreme where knee replacement remains the only option.

Methodology :

  • Breaking this vicious cycle is done in 3 steps:
  • Alleviate the pain and swelling through a combination of needling and moxibustion. This improves the joint’s range of movement too.
  • Help patients develop a gradual workout regime to strengthen the muscles around the knee joint so as to lessen the impact on this weight bearing joint.
  • Regular maintenance sessions every 3-6 months to keep the disease progression in check.
  • In addition, appropriate nutrition counselling and lifestyle modifications are also employed to improve the overall health.
  • A well-placed needle sets off a cascade of events:
  • Through the neurohumoral pathway; producing a signal that travels along the spinal cord to the brain, triggering a release of neurotransmitters such as beta-endorphins, serotonin and enkephalins. (Pomeranz, 1987, Zijlstra 2003, Zhao 2008, Cheng 2009).
  • Reduction of inflammation by promoting release of vascular and immunomodulatory factors thereby reducing pain. (Kim 2008, Kavoussi 2007, Zijlstra 2003).
  • Through enhancing local microcirculation, by increasing the diameter and blood flow velocity of peripheral arterioles. It can repair muscle injuries and strengthen weak muscles or relax tense ones. (Komori 2009).
  • Due to the concentrated placement of acupoints around the joints, it can influence the stimulation of nerve growth factor and bone growth factors; thereby facilitating tissue regeneration. (Gh, He, Ruan Jw, Zeng Ys, X. Zhou, Y. Ding, and Zhou Gh, 2015)

As per Classical Chinese Medicine, regular Acupuncture sessions in the long run promote production and circulation of Qi, blood and body fluids as well as aid the transformation process by eliminating toxins through sweat, urine and faeces. This, in turn optimises immunity, improves appetite, energy levels and sleep, regularises bowel movements and helps manage stress better.

The safety profile of acupuncture is excellent, with very few adverse events when performed by a trained practitioner.
As no two patients are alike, the duration of the treatment vastly depends on the patient’s age, health habits and the severity of the condition.

Related research papers on acupuncture for knee pain :