Ear acupuncture reduced pain in older women with knee osteoarthritis
In 100 women aged 60 or older with knee osteoarthritis and chronic knee pain, a 10-week randomized trial found ear acupuncture reduced pain more than sham stimulation.
100 women, 10 weeks, sham-controlled
Limit: Participants knew their treatment, which could influence their pain ratings
Edited by Boris Djordjevic · AgingResearch.News
A randomized trial assigned 100 women aged 60 or older with knee osteoarthritis and chronic knee pain to ear acupuncture or sham stimulation. Each group had 50 women. They received sessions once weekly for 10 weeks. The sham group received stimulation at a neutral point on the ear.
Sixty-five women completed follow-up. Compared with sham stimulation, ear acupuncture produced greater reductions in pain intensity and depressive symptoms. It also improved independence in basic daily activities. The groups did not differ in their ability to perform more complex daily activities. The abstract did not report the size of these differences. No adverse events were reported.
Why it matters
The findings bear on whether ear acupuncture has a role in comprehensive pain management for older women with knee osteoarthritis.
Caveats
The trial was open-label, meaning participants knew their assigned intervention, and only 65 of 100 women completed follow-up. It did not test effects in men or people younger than 60.
- Auricular acupuncture
- Knee osteoarthritis
- 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale
- Katz index
- Lawton-Brody Scale
- Humans
The paper
Auricular Acupuncture in Older Women With Knee Osteoarthritis: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Unidade de Referência da Saúde da Pessoa Idosa; Universidade Federal de São Paulo
Pain Management Nursing, Sep 8, 2026, Open access
