ACUPUNCTURE

Complementary and
Acupuncture is a Chinese medicinal practice
that utilizes the practice of inserting small,
sharp needles into the skin to stimulate healing.
Alternative Medicine for
While not widely-used or in the United States,
studies have shown how various diseases can be
Arthritis Disorders
treated effectively using this practice4.

According to an article published in the Annals

of Internal Medicine medical journal, a study
funded by the National Institute of Arthritis
and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (a
subset of the National Institute of Health) has
shown that acupuncture seems to provide pain
relief and better joint function for people with
osteoarthritis in their knees:

Berman BM, Lao L, Langenberg P, Lee WL,

GINGER ROOT
Ginger (zingiber officinale) is a spicy herb that
grows underground and is consumed by its
roots. It has many uses in the far East, such as
an ingredient in Asian cooking and even an
ingredient in Eastern beverages and candy.
Indians use ginger to treat everything from
nausea to stomach irregularities and the
common cold. Ginger is available in several
different forms today, from the root itself in
produce markets to others such as powdered,
dried, and capsule forms. Caution: side effects
of ginger may include gas, bloating, and
heartburn due to the pungency of the root1.
According to an article in the Journal of
Advanced Nursing, a treatment regiment of
ginger compress packs seemed to help alleviate
the osteoarthritic test subjects’ pain due to the
ginger’s anti-inflammatory properties:
Therkleson, T. (2010). Ginger compress
therapy for adults with osteoarthritis. Journal
Of Advanced Nursing, 66(10), 2225-2233.
  treatment are best for you.
Gilpin AMK, Hochberg MC. Effectiveness of
Acupuncture as Adjunctive Therapy in
Osteoarthritis of the Knee: A Randomized,
Controlled Trial. Annals of Internal Medicine.
2004; 141(12).
Caution: use of acupuncture may result in slight
discomfort and swelling of the skin tissue at the
needle insertion site(s). Please visit licensed
acupuncture therapists and practice safe and
hygienic needle-disposal practices after each
treatment session.
Arthritis is a disease where the reduction of
cartilage due to unknown causes leads to
pain and stiffness in the joints, among other
symptoms. There are different types of
arthritis, including regular arthritis,
rheumatoid arthritis, and osteoarthritis.
While there is much ongoing research in
the field of bone and joint disease, as of yet
there are many treatments but no cures for
arthritis2.
This complementary and alternative
medicine (CAM) handout will focus on the
non-traditional treatments and therapies
that could be potentially effective in
treating arthritis disorders. Readers of this
handout are warned that no treatments
mentioned in this handout have received
endorsement from any licensed medical
professional and that such treatments may
conflict and/or counteract with any
medicines that are being taken. Please
consult a proper licensed medical physician
of your choice when in doubt of what
course(s) of
Any studies cited in this handout may
require a physician to interpret.

OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS
Omega-3 is a group of polyunsaturated fatty acids
that performs several important functions in the
human body and can be found in several food sources
such as certain fish, nuts and beans. Omega-3 is
available over the counter in pill supplements and can
also be consumed through food sources. Caution:
omega-3 in fish oil supplements form may cause
minor gastrointestinal upsets, including diarrhea,
heartburn, indigestion, and abdominal bloating3.
Over the last few years omega-3 has been suggested
by doctors and nutritionists as a treatment for
rheumatoid arthritis due to its anti-inflammatory
properties, and was the subject of the following
research study:
Guenter J Krejs, et al. "Omega-3 Fatty acids
infusions as adjuvant therapy in rheumatoid
arthritis." Journal Of Parenteral And Enteral Nutrition
34.2 (2010): 151-155.
Note: All resources mentioned in this pamphlet are
accurate and recent to the best of our library’s
knowledge and abilities. When evaluating a resource,
please consider the source it is coming from and the
parties involved in compiling it. All of the information
in this brochure is for informational and educational
References and Acknowledgements:
purposes only and should not constitute as, nor be a
substitute for proper diagnosis, treatment, or cure of
any illness or disease. If you need assistance
1. Missouri Botanical Garden medicinal plants interpreting any medical information please contact or
ginger webpage. Missouri Botanical Garden, visit the medical library or a licensed physician or
http://www.mobot.org/tours/medicinal_plants/ medical professional.
ginger.asp.
2. National Center for Complementary and
Alternative Medicine arthritis webpage.
NCCAM, http://nccam.nih.gov/health/arthritis/.
3. National Center for Complementary and
Alternative Medicine omega-3 webpage.
NCCAM, http://nccam.nih.gov/health/omega3/
introduction.htm.
4. WebMD acupuncture webpage. WebMD.com.
http://www.webmd.com/pain-management/
acupuncture-directory.
Images Copyrights and Courtesy of:
5. arthritis x-ray (main page) - http://media.nih.gov/
imagebank/index.aspx
6. acupuncture (front) - Images from the History of
Medicine (National Library of Medicine): http:// XYZ Medical Library
ihm.nlm.nih.gov/luna/servlet/view/all
123 Medical Information Street
7. red ginger root (front) - www.ehow.com
Librarytown, ML 12578
8. walnuts (back) - www.globalhealthcenter.com
1-555-555-5555
9. fish and canola oil (back) - www.palscience.com www.xyzmedicallibrary.org
xyzmedicallibrary@library.org