Acupuncture for Osteoarthritis
Acupuncture treatment for osteoarthritis is a great alternative therapy that should be used on a long-term basis. Acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine as well as electro-acupuncture have been shown to bring relief from pain and discomfort for those who suffer from this progressive disease. Acupuncture is beneficial in terms of reducing pain, swelling and stiffness in the joints.
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease that progresses over time. The cartilage inside the joints begins to deteriorate and causes damage to the bones. Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis but its exact cause(s) is presently unknown.
Osteoarthritis can be broken down into two categories- primary and secondary. Primary osteoarthritis can affect both sides of the body at once. The most common areas to develop primary OA are the knees, the joints of the thumbs and big toes, the small joints that make up the spine and the joints of the fingers.
Secondary osteoarthritis on the other hand, affects only one side of the body and affects joints that are large and bear a great deal of weight such as a hip or a knee.
When acupuncture is used to treat osteoarthritis it may take a number of treatments before you begin to notice a lessening of your painful symptoms. This is especially the case if you have been suffering from the disease for a number of years. The sooner you begin acupuncture treatments after being diagnosed with osteoarthritis the better it is for your health and for pain reduction.
When a person has suffered with OA for many years, muscle weakness is often common as is weakness of the ligaments and tendons. This is likely because a person in a great deal of pain finds it difficult to exercise on a regular basis. The more often pain is experienced; the less exercise will the person engage in. The bones also become weaker because of lack of exercise and this can sometimes lead to osteoporosis or osteopenia. It is possible to suffer from osteoarthritis as well as one of these other conditions.
One of the biggest advantages of acupuncture as an alternative therapy for osteoarthritis is that it is a safe and effective type of therapy that involves few risks and very few potential side effects. It is also a form of treatment that is reasonably affordable. It helps to shop around for a practitioner in your area whom you feel comfortable and at ease with.
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