Clinical Observation Of Acupoint Application Combined With Acupuncture In The Treatment Of Knee Osteoarthritis(Cold-damp Arthralgia Pattern)

Objective: Taking patients with cold-damp arthralgia pattern knee osteoarthritis as the research object,to compare the clinical effect of "acupoint application combined with acupuncture" and " conventional acupuncture",confirm the optimal efficacy of combination therapy.Methods: 72 patients with knee osteoarthritis of cold-damp arthralgia pattern were randomly divided into observation group(acupoint application + acupuncture)and control group(acupuncture).According to different groups,they were treated by acupoint application combined with acupuncture or simple acupuncture.Two groups of patients were treated for 20 days,a total of 4 courses.The patients were followed up 4 weeks after treatment.The curative effect was evaluated by the score of Osteoarthritis Index(WOMAC)and pain visual analogue(VAS)in the middle period of treatment(2 weeks),the end of treatment(4 weeks)and the follow-up period(8 weeks).Results: 1.The effective rate was 94.4% in the observation group and 88.9% in the control group(P<0.05).2.Before and after treatment: there were statistically significant differences in WOMAC total score,WOMAC pain score,WOMAC stiffness score,WOMAC dysfunction score and VAS score between the two groups before and after treatment(P < 0.05).During the followup period,there were statistically significant differences in WOMAC total score,WOMAC pain score,WOMAC dysfunction score and VAS score between the two groups before and after treatment There was no significant difference between the two groups(P>0.05).3.Comparison between the two groups before and after treatment: the difference between the two groups was statistically significant(P<0.05),the difference between the two groups was not statistically significant(P>0.05);the difference between the two groups was statistically significant(P>0.05)(There was no significant difference in WOMAC pain score and VAS score between the two groups(P>0.05).Conclusion: Acupoint application combined with acupuncture and conventional acupuncture are both effective treatments for cold-damp arthralgia pattern knee osteoarthritis.From the short-term effect,acupoint application combined with acupuncture has no significant difference with conventional acupuncture in improving pain,stiffness and dysfunction,which is superior to conventional acupuncture.From the long-term effect,acupoint application combined with acupuncture can improve painess and stiffness The dysfunctions were better than those of conventional acupuncture.