Acupuncture is considered to be an alternative form of medicine which originated from ancient Chinese medicine practices. It is based on the belief that energy or “qi†flows around the body and when these pathways of energy are blocked, it can cause illnesses. Acupuncture is then used to unblock the “qi†and restore balance within the body, therefore restoring health.*
This treatment is used for various health conditions but is mainly used for relief caused by back, neck and knee pains, osteoarthritis and headache.*
Knee Pain
Knee pain is a common complaint which can be caused by injuries, tears or inflammation of the different parts of the knee including the kneecap, knee joint (femur, fibula, tibia), the ligaments, tendons or cartilage of the knee, or the muscles surrounding it.
Treatment for knee pain includes medications, therapy, exercise or surgery. Furthermore, past research suggests that acupuncture can be an effective alternative medicine for knee pain. Specifically, acupuncture and osteoarthritis, the most common type of arthritis primarily caused by overuse or the natural wear-and-tear of the knee, have been studied and evidence have shown that acupuncture is effective in treating knee pain and physical dysfunction of osteoarthritis of the knee.*
Knowledge of the specific acupuncture points for knee pain is required to acupuncture knee. Some of the basic “acupoints†which can be found around the knee includes:
1. Calf’s Nose – located underneath the kneecap, just a little outside the knee’s indentation
2. Sunny Side of the Mountain – found just outside of the lower leg, a little below and directly in front of the shinbone
3. Three Mile Point – can be traced two inches below the knee cap and one finger width outer of the shinbone
4. Commanding Activity – located on the outside end of the crease when knee is bent
5. Commanding Middle – located behind the knee, at the crease found on the knee joint.
As an effective form of treatment, acupuncture can help provide relief to various chronic pains whilst help restore the proper functioning of affected areas in the body.