Acupuncture and Rheumatoid Arthritis

A recent study of the effects of Korean acupuncture on 25 individuals who were diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) offers some promising results. Rheumatoid arthritis is characterized by joint swelling, stiffness, pain, and potential loss of function of the affected areas; the condition can last for an individual’s entire lifetime. Almost 1.5 million Americans are diagnosed with RA, most of whom are women between the ages of 22 and 55 years.

The 6-week acupuncture study was reported on in the May 2008 issue of Clinical Rheumatology. Acupuncture treatment resulted in improvements in pain, activity, swelling, and quality of life. Levels of improvement did not vary according to whether participants were also using medications. This is a promising finding, because it suggests that clinical improvement may occur without the use of medications. Since medications often pose difficulties for individuals due to side-effects or interactions with other prescribed medicines, the possibility of drug-free treatment for people with RA represents an important discovery.