Try acupuncture before getting knee surgery. Not just a dabble; go for the full recommended treatment course. Why? Because acupuncture can offer you a way to postpone for years or avoid surgery altogether.

A British study, which focused specifically on acupuncture’s cost-effectiveness in treating chronic knee pain, concluded that one-third of patients with knee osteoarthritis who were candidates for total knee replacement surgery had achieved long-term symptom relief after two years by using acupuncture alone.

The study, published published in the journal, Acupuncture in Medicine, determined that the acupuncture treatments had saved at least $127,000 per patient within the study group that was able to skip the surgery. This amount includes the surgery, rehab, nursing care, hospitalization and the lost wages while on convalescence.

Of these 90 patients in the study,  31 of them had found enough relief with the acupuncture alone that they had elected to skip the total knee replacement even after the 2 year follow up. That means about a third of all knee replacements are avoidable with acupuncture.

Here in the US, a total knee replacement operation alone costs around $49,500 plus four to six weeks out of work for recovery.

And because 15% of all patients experience chronic pain after receiving a total knee replacement and 18% report being “dissatisfied” with the results of the surgery, experts agree that “all conservative options should be offered before resorting to surgery”.  That means trying acupuncture first.

“The evidence published on acupuncture in patients with knee osteoarthritis shows that it is safe and effective in reducing pain and improving function, thus qualifying it as an appropriate conservative treatment for this condition.”

A typical initial course of acupuncture for chronic knee pain is about six sessions over a two week period with occasional follow ups throughout the months following.