ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy of thumb-tack needle therapy for the early and middle stages of senile knee osteoarthritis.Method Sixty patients were allocated, using a random number table, to observation and control groups, 30 cases each.Thecontrol group took meloxicam tablets7.5 mg once daily and the observation group received thumb-tack needle therapy8 hrs once daily inaddition.Liangqiu(ST34), Xiyangguan(GB33), Neixiyan(Ex-LE4), Dubi(ST35), Yinlingquan(SP9),Yanglingquan(GB34)and Ashipoint were selected forthumb-tack needle therapy.Both groups were treated five times a week for two consecutive weeks.The WOMAC score and the Lysholm score were recorded before and after treatment.Theclinical therapeutic effects were evaluated.Result The total efficacy rate was 93.3% inthe observation group and 80.0% in the control group.It was higher inthe observation group thanin the control group and there was a statistically significant difference (P<0.05). The WOMAC score decreased and the Lysholm score increased in both groups after treatment; there were statistically significant pre-/post-treatment differences (P<0.05).after treatment, the WOMAC score and the Lysholm score improved more inthe observation group than in the control group; there were statistically significant differences (P<0.05).Conclusion Thumb-tack needle therapyhas a definite effect on the early and middle stages of senile knee osteoarthritis.It can relieve the pain and improveknee functionin the patients.