The investigators plan to conduct this multicentered, sham-controlled randomized clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture for clinical symptomatic improvement of hand OA.
Diagnosed as hand OA according to the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) clinical classification criteria
History of hand OA for at least 3 months before enrollment and history of taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to treat hand OA
Aged 18-80 years
At least 40 mm in visual analog scale (VAS) on the average pain intensity of the dominant hand over the last 48 hours (patients applying NSAIDs at the screening have to have an increase in pain in the dominant hand of ≥ 20 mm after 1-week washout)
History or current evidence of secondary OA (due to causes other than a solely degenerative joint disease) or symptomatic OA at additional locations besides the hand(s) requiring treatment, or any painful syndrome of the upper limb which may interfere with evaluation of hand pain;
History of inflammatory arthritis (such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or psoriatic arthritis), hemochromatosis, metabolic, or neuropathic arthropathies;
History of trauma, dislocation or operation to the hand or arm in the previous 3 months;
Hand pain and stiffness due to tissue scarring or tendinitis;