Clinical Observation Of Filiform-Fire Needling Therapy Based On Tendon Theory In Treatment Of Knee Osteoarthritis

ObjectiveWith randomized controlled clinical trials methods,the present dissertation is to explore the therapeutic effects of filiform-fire needling therapy based on the tendon theory in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis(KOA),and to observe the feasibility and safety of the therapy,which consequently could provide a safer and more effective clinical treatment for patients with KOA.MethodsSixty patients with KOA who meet the inclusion criteria from Shenzhen Bao’an Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine were included in this study.The patients were randomly divided into treatment group(n=30)and control group(n=30).The treatment group was treated with filiform-fire needling therapy based on the tendon theory,and the control group was treated with conventional acupuncture.The two groups were treated three times a week,with at least one day interval between each treatment,with three weeks as a therapeutic course.After a course,the changes of VAS scores,WOMAC scores and TCM sign scores of all knees in the two groups before and after treatment were observed,and the total effective rates of the two groups were calculated.By establishing a database and using the SPSS20.0 software,the statistical analysis was performed.ResultsBaseline data:Before treatment,there was no statistically significant difference in gender,age composition,course of disease,numbers of knees,VAS scores,WOMAC scores,TCM sign scores,etc.between the two groups(P<0.05),which was comparable.VAS score:Compared with before treatment,the VAS scores of the two groups decreased after the first treatment and after all treatments(P<0.05).After the first treatment and after all treatments,the VAS scores in the treatment group was significantly lower than those in the control group(P<0.05).WOMAC scores:the WOMAC scores of both groups after the first treatment and after all treatments were lower than those before treatment(P<0.05).After the first treatment and all treatments,the decrease of the scores in the treatment group was greater than that in the control group(P<0.05).TCM sign scores:The scores of TCM signs in both groups after treatments were lower than those before treatment(P<0.05).Clinical efficacy:The total effective rate were 94.7%in the treatment group and 78.0%in the control group,with statistically significant difference between the two groups(P<0.05).ConclusionBoth the two groups could effectively alleviate the symptoms of KOA.However,the filiform-fire needling therapy based on the tendon theory was superior to the routine acupuncture in the fields of total effective rate,immediate pain relief,alleviating clinical symptoms(pain,stiffness,difficulty in movement)and improvement of the quality in daily life.