Zeitschrift für Rheumatologie
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Comparison of the effectiveness of medicinal leech and TENS therapy in the treatment of primary osteoarthritis of the knee : A randomized controlled trial.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of leech therapy in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis in terms of duration of effectiveness and symptom relief and to compare these results with transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) therapy. ⋯ Leech therapy relieves symptoms in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee and is as effective as TENS therapy in the management of osteoarthritis of the knee. This treatment has the potential of being an additional or alternative therapy for the non-surgical management of osteoarthritis of the knee.