Our knees go through a lot every day. Whether you’re an athlete or are working on your feet all day, you need your knees to keep you moving. When you start to experience knee pain, it can get difficult to stand for long periods and to move from place to place. But can acupuncture help knee pain?
Acupuncture can help relieve various knee problems, strains, and causes of pain. It’s proven to help relieve pain from osteoarthritis, a leading cause of knee pain and discomfort in adults across the US.
Why should I consider acupuncture for knee pain?
Acupuncture aims to help restore mobility to strained and painful joints and muscles across the body. Our knees undergo some of the most strain and stress of all. They help keep us upright and ensure we can walk, run, crouch, jump, and more.
Acupuncture can help to promote blood and oxygen flow to your knees and to release tension from strained areas preventing your joints from moving freely.
Estimates state that more than 14 million people in the United States suffer from knee arthritis to varying extents. In many cases, physiotherapy can help restore sufferers’ flexibility and mobility. Pain medication can also help people manage ongoing tension and straining – but it will only go so far.
Medical professionals often recommend and refer patients to acupuncture clinics as the practice is proven to reduce inflammation. Tendonitis of the knees can result in your joints getting inflamed and thus creating instability and pain when you try to run, jump or even walk.
Acupuncture is proven to lower inflammation in muscles and joints across the body, with many people leaving clinics with almost instant relief after their first visits. Cortisol, a hormone that regulates inflammation, is promoted through regular needling. Patients can expect short-term relief and long-term results with regular visits.
What are some further benefits of acupuncture for knee pain?
Alongside releasing cortisol to reduce inflammation, acupuncture can also promote endorphin release in the brain. This helps to reduce pain signals across the body, such as in and around your knees, while also helping you to relax pockets of tension.
Acupuncture is also quickly becoming one of the most affordable ways to manage knee pain in the US. Typically, medical practitioners may prescribe pain medication such as opioids to lessen pain signals related to arthritis and other conditions.
This isn’t always likely to be the case, as medication costs are rising, meaning both physicians and patients look for cheaper, more effective ways to stave off pain.
Acupuncture provides immensely better value in relieving knee pain over standard medication. A single session will likely provide more than 50% improvement in mobility and pain relief.
Regular sessions, spaced out over months to come, can ensure your knees retain mobility and flexibility in the face of your daily demands. Many people also rely on acupuncture to help remove knots across the body.
Regularly attending acupuncture sessions may make it easier to walk longer distances or even start jogging or running if you wish. Caution is advised – increasing your activity or intensity level right away may do more harm than good.
A specialized, qualified acupuncturist will advise on a healthy course of action to take should you wish to exercise more after receiving treatment.
Random trials of acupuncture used to help treat osteoarthritis in the knees show that regular sessions can help to relieve some of the more painful symptoms of the condition. Used in line with recommended medication and physio treatment, those suffering from the condition may expect quicker rehabilitation and greater knee flexibility sooner than expected.
When is it best to see an acupuncturist about knee pain?
The moment knee pain starts to become more than just ‘occasional’, or when it starts to restrict your daily activities, it’s important to reach out for help from a specialist. Failure to act could lead to further deterioration of muscles and additional pain when attempting to move.
At worst, sufferers may find themselves unable to move freely if treatment for severe or acute knee pain isn’t attended to as a priority. In the first instance, you should consider speaking to your physician and/or book into an acupuncture clinic for an initial session.
At Lycoming Orthopedic & Sports Acupuncture, our clinic provides a brief, yet conclusive strength assessment before any treatment on your knees can begin. This will allow us to see your full range of movement and address any concerns you may have.
After strength and flexibility tests, your acupuncturist will then discuss a potential plan of treatment to help restore a full range of motion to your knees and legs. In your first session alone, you will likely feel immediate relief and some flexibility you’ve not experienced for some time!
Can acupuncture help me regain full use of my knees?
In many cases, professional acupuncture undertaken by a qualified specialist can help to reduce knee pain and may help to restore motion in your joints. It’s important to remember that, in some cases, full mobility may not be possible – it’s highly dependent on the severity of your case and other physical factors.
It may also be worth considering treatment for other issues in your legs and feet – for example, you may wish to learn more about acupuncture for Achilles tendonitis.
Our clinic strives to restore movement and flexibility to strained and locked knees wherever possible. During your first visit and strength assessment at Lycoming Orthopedic, you’ll have the chance to find out more about how our processes work, and how we can support you in getting you up and moving again.
If you suffer from severe osteoarthritis, your doctor or physician will likely advise you of further expectations from treatment. It’s important to continue following up on medication, exercise recommendations, and to see your acupuncturist regularly for the best possible results.
So – can acupuncture help knee pain? Certainly – but it’s wise to see a specialist as soon as pain starts to impact your daily routines.
Contact Lycoming Orthopedic & Sports Acupuncture today to book your first exploratory session, or consult with your doctor or physician to arrange a transfer. We want to help you regain the flexibility and freedom you deserve!
