Moxibustion better than drugs for rheumatoid arthritis

Moxibustion better than drugs for rheumatoid arthritis

Moxibustion can effectively reduce disease activity, improve physical and mental well-being and alleviate fatigue in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, according to research carried out in China. A total of 135 RA patients, diagnosed with Chinese medical syndromes of Liver and Kidney deficiency, were randomly assigned to a high-frequency moxibustion group, a low-frequency moxibustion group, or a medication group who received the disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug leflunomide. The moxibustion groups received treatment at ashi points, Shenshu BL-23 and Sanyinjiao SP-6. Treatment was carried out once per day, five times a week in the high-frequency moxibustion group and three times per week in the low-frequency moxibustion group. Treatment was carried out for a total of 12-weeks for all groups. All three groups showed improvements in disease activity, inflammatory markers, physical performance, and fatigue scores following treatment. The high-frequency moxibustion group demonstrated the most significant reductions in disease activity, inflammatory markers, TCM syndrome, anxiety and depression scores, alongside better grip strength and physical performance compared with the other groups. Fatigue scores also improved significantly, with the high-frequency group maintaining the lowest fatigue levels during follow-up. The low-frequency moxibustion group showed better outcomes than the medication group, but experienced less benefit than the high-frequency group. Additionally, the high-frequency group demonstrated the highest rates of clinical improvement (measured according to American College of Rheumatology criteria). The low-frequency group also outperformed the medication group in terms of clinical improvement rates. No adverse effects were reported in any group. (Dose-effect relationship of moxibustion for rheumatoid arthritis of liver and kidney deficiency and its effect on fatigue: a randomized controlled trial. Zhongguo Zhen Jiu. 2024 Sep 12;44(9):1001-8).

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39318290/