Knee Replacement
Knee replacement surgery is fairly common in the U.S. with surgeons carrying out nearly 600,000 procedures every year. Although most replacements can help reduce pain, the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons states that 90 percent of patients experience significant improvement, the recovery after surgery can take up to three to six weeks before resuming most daily activities.
Acupuncture can facilitate and accelerate the recovery process. A new study shows that electroacupuncture enhances pain relief post-surgery due to its ability to lower levels of prostaglandins and increase levels of endorphins. As a result, rapid recovery of knee range of motion can be achieved. Electroacupuncture was performed before surgery as well as after, resulting in lower pain scores, and higher range of motion scores than compared to the pain drug group.
