| ObjectivesAs there are many countries around the world stepping into aging society,diseases in relation to old age are increasing and valued by clinicians and researchers.Knee osteoarthritis,also known as degenerative arthritis or knee joint proliferative arthritis,is the most common form of arthritic condition.Tracing through literature research,clinical treatment of knee osteoarthritis has its unique curative effect and diverse treatment methods in TCM.However,umbilical needling is a new method of acupuncture treatment which has only been developed in recent years.What I have found it in clinical practice in recent years is that umbilical needling has a good curative effect on knee osteoarthritis.And because it only applies acupuncture needling at umbilical area,it is simpler and safer in clinical practice.Even though I have been using it clinically,I have not systematically studied it before.Therefore,I would like to take this study opportunity to observe the curative effect of umbilical needling on knee osteoarthritis,researching and comparing the therapeutic effect with common acupuncture.This study will provide an objective comment and explanation on the effectiveness of umbilical needling,seeking to provide a new approach to treat such condition in clinical operation.Method:120 patients,with knee osteoarthritis,met the selection criteria in Australia and were selected for this study.As the subjects of the clinical research,they were divided into umbilical needling group and common acupuncture group.The umbilical needling group was treated with the principle of umbilical acupuncture therapy,and the common acupuncture group was treated according to the conventional acupuncture therapy.The treatment of both groups were performed in similar environment,such as time and place.The data of treatment from before and after with umbilical needling group and the common acupuncture group were observed,measured and recorded for statistical analysis.Umbilical needling group:The acupoints used for clinical diagnosis and treatment were selected according to the principle of umbilical needling,which is "symptom first,systemic second,and disease the third".And at the same time,according to the twelve meridians coordinated to the twelve earthly branches to treat knee osteoarthritis,where the area meridian channels travel to and it was selected Chen(foot Yangming stomach meridian),Si(foot Taiyin spleen),Shen(foot Urinary bladder),You(foot Shaoyin kidney),Zi(foot Shaoyang Gallbladder)for Umbilical needling treatment in this study.The umbilical needling group uses 0.5%A1 iodine disinfection to the umbilical cord where the needles were inserted,and using a sterile acupuncture needles of a size of 0.25 mm × 25 mm,with the umbilical cord as the center,the needles were inserted at the umbilical wall most sensitive point in 45 degree horizontally to 15?20 mm,and left inserted for 25 minutes once it obtained Qi sensation.The needles were manipulated every 5 minutes during the treatment for better results.The treatment plan was twice a week,and 5 weeks for entire course of treatment,total of 10 sessions.Common acupuncture group:According to the text book of "Clinical Acupuncture and Moxibustion",he acupuncture points for treating pain of knees is to get patients to be in a sitting position and selecting the acupoints of Xiyan,Yanglingquan,Yinlingquan,Neiguan,Ashi points,Xuanzhong,Dashu,and Danshu.If the pain is along the meridian channels of foot Yang Ming of knee pain,the Zusanli point shall be added for the treatment;If the pain is along the meridian channels of foot Shaoyang of knee pain,the Zulinqi point shall be added for the treatment;If the pain is along the meridian channels of foot Taiyin of knee pain,the Taibai point shall be added for the treatment;If the pain is along the meridian channels of foot Shaoyin of knee pain,the point of Taixi shall be added for the treatment;If the pain is along the meridian channels of foot Juein of knee pain,the point of Taichong shall be added for the treatment;If the pain is along the meridian channels of foot Taiyang of knee pain,the point of Weizhong shall be added for the treatment.Before the treatment starts,0.5%Al iodine is used to disinfect the areas of where the pressure points are and where the needles will be inserted.And using sterile acupuncture needles of a size of 0.25 mm × 25 mm and 0.25 mm × 40 mm,insert the needles into the points the way as common needling to the body,and leave the needles in for 25 minutes once they obtained Qi sensation.The needles were manipulated every 5 minutes during the treatment for better results.The treatment plan was twice a week,5 weeks for the course of treatment,total of 10 sessions.Result:The umbilical needling group and the common acupuncture group have the same baseline and are comparable in terms of gender,age,disease course and condition.After the first treatment,both the umbilical needling group and the common acupuncture group showed improvement,such as VAS,WOMAC,LKS,etc.(P<0.05),and among multiple scores,that were compared between groups,the umbilical needling group showed better efficacy than the common acupuncture group.After the course ended,both groups showed significantly improved in VAS,WOMAC,LKS,PRO,the scores of patients with therapeutic sensibility,and overall efficacy observation etc.(P<0.05).Comparing the 2 groups,the umbilical needling group showed statistical significance(P<0.05),except no different in WOMAC sub-term stiffness and the psychological function of PRO,and the study indicates that the umbilical needling compared with the common acupuncture group has an obvious curative effect in improving various indexes for osteoarthritis of knee.In terms of total clinical efficacy,57 cases were effective in the umbilical needling group,which equates to total effective rate of 95%.49 cases were effective in the common acupuncture group,which equates to total effective rate of 81.66%.The difference in the comprehensive efficacy between the two groups was statistically significant(P<0.05).Following-up 3 months after the course of treatment 3 out of the 57 effective cases in the umbilical needling group did not maintain the clinical progress ratio during the treatment period,and the recurrence rate was 5.26%;and in the common acupuncture group of 49 effective cases,7 did not maintain the clinical progress ratio held during the treatment period,and the recurrence rate was 14.28%.There was a statistically significant difference between the two groups in the recurrence rate between the two groups(P<0.05).Conclusion:1.Both umbilical needling and common acupuncture are safe and effective method for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis.2.Both umbilical needling and common acupuncture treatment provide immediate relief of pain and improve the flexibility for the knee joint,but umbilical needling is better than common acupuncture in terms of clinical effectiveness.3.After the course ended,the two groups have showed significantly improved in VAS,WOMAC,LKS,PRO,the scores of patients express themselves from the treatment,and overall efficacy observation etc.(P<0.05),Comparing the 2 groups,the umbilical needling group showed statistical significance(P<0.05),except no different in WOMAC sub-term stiffness and the psychological function of PRO,and the study indicates that the umbilical needling compared with the common acupuncture group has an obvious curative effect in improving various indexes for osteoarthritis of knee.4.Both Umbilical needling and Common acupuncture have good efficacy in long-term(3 months),and the recurrence rate is low.Umbilical needling treatment patients have better therapeutic sensibility,and this therapy its worth to have a further clinical research and study. |
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