Objective To investigate the clinical effect of thunder-fire moxibustion combined with electroacupuncture in the treatment of cold-dampness knee osteoarthritis. Methods A total of 72 patients with cold-dampness knee osteoarthritis were randomly divided into observation group and control group according to the random numbers generated by computer software

with 36 patients in each group. For the observation group

electroacupuncture was performed at the main acupoints of Dubi(ST35)

Neixiyan(EX-LE4)

Zusanli(ST36)

Yanglingquan(GB34)

Yinlingquan(SP9)

Xuehai(SP10)

Liangqiu(ST34)

and Heding(EX-LE2) once a day

with a needle retaining time of 30 min

and thunder-fire moxibustion was performed at Shenque(CV8) and Guanyuan(CV4) in the form of suspended moxibustion once a day

with 30 min each time. The patients in the control group were given oral administration of diclofenac sodium double-release enteric-coated capsules

75 mg each time

once a day

and Fugui Gutong capsules

6 capsules a time and 3 times a day. Each course of treatment was 14 days

and both groups were treated for 2 courses

with an interval of 2 days between the two courses. Visual Analogue Scale(VAS) score

Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index(WOMAC) score

and Lequesne index were observed before the treatment

immediately after the treatment

and at 4 months after the treatment

and the outcome of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) syndrome was compared between the two groups after treatment. Results Both groups had significant reductions in VAS score

WOMAC score

and Lequesne index immediately and at 4 months after the treatment(P<0.05). Compared with the control group

the observation group had significant reductions in VAS score

Lequesne index

and WOMAC score(scores of pain

function and total score) immediately and at 4 months after the treatment(P<0.05). The effective rate was 97.1%(34/35) in the observation group

and was 78.8%(26/33) in the control group. The effective rate of the observation group was obviously higher than that of the control group(P<0.05). Conclusion Thunder-fire moxibustion combined with electroacupuncture has a better

more durable clinical effect and fewer adverse reactions than the drugs in the treatment of cold-dampness knee osteoarthritis.