Therapeutic Effect of Thermai Moxibustion on Osteoarthritis:An Observation of 35 Cases

Objective:To observe the therapeutic effect of thermal moxibustion on knee osteoarthrtis (KOA).Methods:Sixty-eight KOA patients were randomized into 2 groups:group A received thermal moxibustion and group B received routine acupuncture,one time per day,5 times one week,and the treatment lasted 15 times.The therapeutic effect was evaluated with Lysholm knee scale.Results:The total score was increased in the two groups after treatment(P0.01 compared with that before treatment),and the increase was obvious in group A(P0.01 compared with that in group B).The scores of symptoms were improved in the two groups after treatment,and the score of instability and swelling of joint was higher in group A than that in group B(P0.05 or P0.01).The total effective rate was 94.29%in group A and 87.88%in group B,the difference being significant between the two groups(P0.01).Conclusion:Thermal moxibustion exerts certain effect for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis.