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Osteoarthritis
Is moxibustion okay for osteoarthritis?
Moxibustion for osteoarthritis is feasible; it can alleviate local symptoms of pain and swelling in osteoarthritis. Currently, there are two methods of treatment for osteoarthritis: The first is conservative treatment, which includes physical therapy, rehabilitation, moxibustion, acupuncture, oral medication, and injections of sodium hyaluronate, all of which can relieve symptoms of joint pain, swelling, and discomfort during movement. The second method is surgical treatment, which is considered when conservative treatment is ineffective, or when symptoms worsen after conservative treatment. Presently, there are two approaches to surgical treatment: The first involves arthroscopic minimally invasive cleaning of the joint, followed by further cleaning of the meniscus and synovium; the second method is joint replacement, with total knee replacement being the most common.
How to treat effusion in osteoarthritis?
General treatment methods are mainly divided into two categories. First, conservative treatment, which is non-surgical and includes rest, immobilization, localized physical therapy such as heat application, acupuncture, etc. Physical therapy includes techniques like spectrum therapy, infrared, and diathermy. For some patients with mild osteoarthritis and minor effusions, these can gradually be absorbed over one to two weeks, and symptoms of pain and swelling can be alleviated. This can be combined with oral intake of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as celecoxib or ibuprofen. For patients with recurrent episodes, or those who are middle-aged and above with severe osteoarthritis and degeneration, and have substantial effusion, conservative treatments are generally not very effective. Therefore, we can try aspirating the effusion in the knee joint and appropriately administer intra-articular sodium hyaluronate injections to promote the recovery of osteoarthritis and delay the degeneration of bone proliferation. If conservative treatment still does not bring significant relief, then arthroscopic debridement and corresponding surgical treatments for the knee joint may be considered.