Effects of Acupuncture on Cartilage Degradation and Joint Pain in Osteoarthritis
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: Osteoarthritis, resulting from joint decline, leads to various symptoms including joint pain, stiffness, tenderness, and local inflammation. These symptoms may be caused by the remodeling of the five structural phenotypes: inflammatory, subchondral bone, meniscal cartilage, atrophic, and hypertrophic phenotypes. Studies have shown that acupuncture can inhibit cartilage degradation by regulating extracellular matrix-degradation and enzyme synthesis. Notably, the efficacy of acupuncture treatment in osteoarthritis may be attributed to regulated inflammation and apoptosis of chondrocytes, as well as endogenous opioid production, and activation of the endocannabinoid systems (in the central and peripheral nervous systems), to contribute towards cartilage protection and joint pain relief. This review provides a current summary of the mechanisms of action of acupuncture in osteoarthritis, indicating that acupuncture, a therapy with fewer side effects than conventional medications, may be an effective treatment strategy for the management of osteoarthritis.
Authors: Jae-Hwan Jang, Jaejin Han, Changsu Na, Hi-Joon Park
Institutions: Kyung Hee University, Dongshin University
Language: English
Subfield: Complementary and alternative medicine
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W4403694368