Group Acupuncture for Osteoarthritis; a Practical Option?

Abstract

Knee pain due to osteoarthritis is an increasing health problem.1 ,2 Acupuncture is a promising treatment for osteoarthritis that may provide symptom relief without the adverse cardiovascular events associated with the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). When the UK National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) reviewed the evidence for its 2008 osteoarthritis guideline,3 they concluded that it seemed likely that acupuncture can provide some short-term to medium-term relief for some people living with osteoarthritis. However, in contrast with NICE back pain guidance,4 they did not make a positive recommendation for acupuncture. Importantly, as reported in one of the linked papers,5 the approach to the health economic analysis in the NICE osteoarthritis guideline compared verum and sham acupuncture whereas the NICE back pain guideline compared acupuncture with usual care. The Osteoarthritis Research Society International has recommended that ‘acupuncture may be of symptomatic benefit’6 and a subsequent Cochrane review of acupuncture7 concluded that there were small benefits from acupuncture when …