Ankle Osteoarthritis

In diabetic patients, ankle osteoarthritis requires differentiation from diabetic arthropathy (Charcot joint). Since wound healing after acupuncture may be delayed if peripheral vascular disease is present, blood sugar control (target HbA1c less than 7%) is monitored. Electroacupuncture and transcutaneous electrical stimulation are effective as adjuncts in cases accompanied by neuropathic pain. Perspective of a Korean Medicine Clinic In Korean medicine, diabetes is understood as a condition where the body's vital fluids dry up and heat accumulates; if it persists for a long time, it leads to a deficiency in the energy that moistens the body and the simultaneous depletion of overall energy. This often overlaps with the deficiency of kidney energy seen in ankle osteoarthritis. Rather than viewing these two conditions separately, structuring treatment to simultaneously replenish both the moistening energy and kidney energy is mutually beneficial. For diabetic patients with excessive heat, a therapeutic approach that reduces heat and eliminates dampness is combined to improve the inflammatory environment within the joints. At Dongjedang, we conduct safe concurrent treatment in collaboration with internal medicine physicians.