title: [Clinical observation on fire needles at bones combined with cupping and Tuina for knee osteoarthritistis].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore a better therapy for knee osteoarthritis.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred cases were randomly divided into a comprehensive group and an acupuncture group, 50 cases in each one. The comprehensive treatment of fire needles at bones combined with cupping and Tuina on local area of affected knee was applied in the comprehensive group. The Ashi points were mainly selected in the fire needles at bones therapy, once every other day. The cupping and Tuina therapy was adopted once a day. The conventional acupuncture was applied in the acupuncture group, in which Dubi (ST 35), Neixiyan (EX-LE 4), Xuehai (SP 10), Liangqiu (ST 34) and so on were selected, once a day. Ten days of treatment were taken as a treatment course in both two groups, and totally 1 to 2 courses was required. The pain score of joint before and after the treatment was observed and efficacy was assessed in two groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared before the treatment, the pain score of joint after the treatment was obviously improved in two groups (both P<0.05), and the score in the comprehensive group was lower than that in the acupuncture group (P<0.05). The clinical cured rate was 38.0% (19/50), which was superior to 20.0% (10/50) in the acupuncture group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The comprehensive treatment of fire needles at bones combined with cupping and Tuina, considered as a better therapy for knee osteoarthritis, could improve joint pain, swelling and action function, which is superior to the conventional acupuncture.
authors.affiliation: Department of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Tuina, Affiliated Hospital of Zhangye Medical Junior School, Zhangye 734000, Gansu Province, China. gaoyanglai@yahoo.cn
authors.forename: Yang-Lai
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Jun-Han
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Jun-Xiong
authors.initials: JX
authors.lastname: Guo
mesh_terms: D015670:Acupuncture Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation; D000368:Aged; D000654:Amobarbital / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018771:Arthralgia / Q000628:therapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D008875:Middle Aged; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000628:therapy*; D012631:Secobarbital / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D004338:Drug Combinations; C027629:amobarbital, secobarital drug combination; D012631:Secobarbital; D000654:Amobarbital