The Efficacy Of Laserneedle Acupuncture Compared To Metal Needle Acupuncture In Treating Knee Osteoarthritis

Objective:The primary objective of this research study is to investigate the effectiveness of Laserneedle Acupunture compared to Metal needle Acupuncture in treating patients with pain, stiffness and dysfuntion due to osteoarthritis of the knee.Methods:Sixty patients with Knee Osteoarthritis were randomly assigned equally thirty patients to treatment group received Laserneedle acupuncture and thirty patients to control group received metal needle acupuncture twice a week for four weeks. All subject were evaluated at the beginning before treatment, and the first treatment, and the end of completing treatment and4weeks after completing treatment using Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) for measurement of stiffness, pain, and physical function.Result:Both groups showed clinically and statistically significant improvement after4weeks of treatment. For treatment group (laserneedle), there was significant reduction in stiffness by93.17%, pain by95.09%, and physical function increased by84.54%(P<0.05). For control group (metal needle) there was significant reduction in stiffness by93.19%, pain by89.23%, and physical function increased by83.97%(P<0.05). And4weeks evaluated after completing treatment there were no significant different in stiffness (P=0.197), pain (P=0.274), and physical function (P=0.859) in treatment group and control group. After8times the therapy, the number of patients were cured (the value of WOMAC Score=0)in the treatment group there is24patients (80%) compared to18patients (60%) in the control group. This means that laserneedle is more effective than acupuncture in treated patients with Knee Osteoarthritis, but there was no significant difference between the two (P=0.176). No adverse effects of both laserneedle and metal needle acupuncture were reported. Conclusion:Both laserneedle acupuncture and metalneedle acupuncture were effective in reducing pain, stiffness and physical function of knee osteoarthritis. There is no significant difference between laserneedle and metal needle acupuncture in treating patients with knee osteoarthritis. This research proved that laserneedle equivalent with metal needle acupuncture. Therapeutic effects of Laserneedle and Metal needle Acupuncture in patients with osteoarthritis of the kneet still persist for at least for4weeks.