Research Progress of Acupuncture and Moxibustion in the Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis

Abstract

Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is also known as knee degenerative arthritis. Its core change is the degenerative change of articular cartilage. At the same time, it involves the articular cartilage of the knee, resulting in degenerative change, accompanied by the following symptoms: cartilage exfoliation, cartilage bone hyperplasia, synovial inflammation, gradually destroy the joint, make it deformed, and finally lead to joint dysfunction. It is an osteoarthropathy mostly occurring in the elderly[1]. Both men and women can get sick. According to the report of the World Health Organization, osteoarthritis will become the fourth major disability disease in the world by 2020[2]. According to relevant data[3]: up to 3% of the people in China are suffering from osteoarthritis, of which the incidence rate of knee osteoarthritis is relatively large. About 60% of the people over 55 years old are older than 65 years old, and the incidence rate is 85%. With the increasing trend of population aging in China, the incidence rate of KOA is increasing year by year, which affects the physical and mental health of patients. Objective: In recent years, the research on the treatment of knee osteoarthritis with Traditional Chinese Medicine has become white hot, and great progress has been made. The main treatment methods include oral administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, external use of Traditional Chinese Medicine and acupuncture and massage. Moxibustion has the function of warming and dredging meridians, and has become one of the research hotspots nowadays. Methods: This paper briefly summarizes the current situation of Moxibustion in the treatment of KOA in recent years, and puts forward the existing problems and future development direction