Objective To analyze the short-term and long-term effects of internal heat-type acupuncture needle（ IHTAN） therapy on early knee osteoarthritis（ KOA） patients and the repair effect of diffuse noxious inhibitory controls（ DNIC） system. Methods A total of 80 patients with KOA were divided into an IHTAN group and an acupuncture group in a ratio of 1 ∶ 1. Both groups were given IHTAN therapy and normal acupuncture treatment respectively at Neixiyan（ EX-LE 5）

Dubi（ ST 35）

Liangqiu（ ST 34）

Xuehai（ SP 10）

Zusanli（ ST36） and Ashi points on the affected side

20 min every time

twice a week for 4 weeks. The outcome measures included Visual Analogous Scale（ VAS）

Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis（ WOMAC）

functional score of DNIC of the 2 groups before and 6 months（ follow-up period） were observed. The short-term and long term clinical efficacy was determined after treatment and during follow-up period. The adverse reactions were observed. Results There was no statistical significance in the scores of VAS

DNIC and WOMAC of the 2 groups before treatment. Compared with before treatment

the VAS and WOMAC scores of the 2 groups were significantly decreased after treatment and at the follow-up

and DNIC was significantly increased（ P < 0. 05）. The improvement of VAS

DNIC and WOMAC scores in the IHTAN group was significantly more remarkable than that in the acupuncture group（ P <0. 05）. After treatment

the total effective rate was 97. 4% in the IHTAN group and 76. 9% in the acupuncture group. The total effective rate was 97. 4% in the IHTAN group and 79. 5% in the acupuncture group at follow-up.The IHTAN group was significantly more effective than the acupuncture group（ P < 0. 05）. Conclusion The IHTAN therapy can effectively repair DNIC function in the early stage of KOA patients

improve short-term and longterm symptoms and control the process of chronic pain. The IHTAN therapy is superior to ordinary acupuncture treatment in this respect.