Ask the doctor: Acupuncture for knee pain

Q. I have had arthritis of the knee for many years, and I prefer not to take medications for the pain. Can acupuncture help?

A. Acupuncture has been promoted for many conditions, but the results for knee arthritis have been mixed. A recent study in The Journal of the American Medical Association showed that acupuncture had a small benefit compared with no treatment in people with knee arthritis. However, when compared with a simulated or "sham" acupuncture treatment; real acupuncture was not more effective. A larger study published in 2006 with more than 1,000 people showed a similar finding.