OBJECTIVETo observe the therapeutic effect of blood-letting puncture combined with red-hot needle therapy on knee osteoarthritis.

METHODSOne hundred and twenty-nine cases were randomly divided into a bloodletting puncture plus red-hot needle therapy group (n=73) and a routine acupuncture group (n=56). The blood letting puncture plus red-hot needle therapy group were treated by blood-letting puncture at Weizhong (BL 40), and red-hot needle pricking Heding (EX-LE 2), Dubi (ST 35), Xiyan (EX-LE 5), Yinlingquan (SP 9), Yanglingquan (GB 34), Xuanzhong (GB 39) and Ashi points, twice each week, 4 times constituting one course. The routine acupuncture group were treated by routine acupuncture at the same points as those for red-hot needle pricking, once each day, two weeks constituting one course.

RESULTSAfter treatment for 2 courses, the joint pain score and the illness serious index were 2.68+/-0.88 and 4.25+/-1.02, and 4.68+/-1.89 and 7.46+/-2. 13 in the two groups, respectively, with very significant differences before and after treatment in the two groups (P<0.01), the former being better than the later (P<0.05). The clinical cured rate and the total effective rate were 37.0% and 94.5% in the blood-letting puncture plus red-hot needle therapy group and 19.6% and 89.3% in the routine acupuncture group, with a very significant difference between the two groups(P<0. 01).

CONCLUSIONBlood-letting puncture combined with red-hot needle therapy has obvious therapeutic effect on knee osteoarthritis.