To observe the analgesic effect of different needle warming moxibustion methods on syndrome of Yang-deficiency with congealing cold in knee osteoarthritis(KOA)and their effects on inflammatory factors. Methods： Ninety cases of patients with syndrome of Yang-deficiency with congealing cold in KOA were covered in the study and were divided into simple acupuncture group(32 cases)， needle warming moxibustion group(30 cases)and the over skin moxibustion group(28 cases)according to different treating therapies. All three groups had acupuncture at Zusanli(ST36)， Neixiyan(EX-LE4)， Waixiyan(ST35)， Liangqiu(ST34)， and Yinlingquan(SP9). The simple acupuncture group did not have moxibustion therapy during the research process. The over skin moxibustion group was treated with a lighted folium artemisiae argyi suspended on the acupuncture points at the end of the acupuncture， and the distance is adjusted to the comfortable feeling of subjects. Every acupoint had moxibustion for 30 min， and practitioners shook the ash every 3 min. Continuous treatment for a month， and 1 time per day. For needle warming moxibustion group， practitioners put the folium artemisiae argyi on the needle handle after inserting needle， and every acupoint had moxibustion for 30 min. Continuous treatment for a month， and1 time per day. Compared the 3 group before the treatment and 7 days and 1 month after the treatment with simple McGill pain score， Oswestry disability index， Hamilton anxiety scale(HAMA)scores， Hamilton depression scale(HAMD)， as well as the cox-2 concentration changes before and 1 month after the treatment. Results： 1)There were no statistical differences on the indexes among the three groups before treatment and after treatment. The patients with moxibustion therapy performs better than simple acupuncture group in reducing McGill pain score， Oswestry disability index， knee joint symptoms integral and peripheral blood concentrations of COX-2. 2)Needle warming moxibustion was superior to over skin moxibustion in improving the patient’s symptoms and reducing the concentration of peripheral blood COX-2. Conclusion： Both of the methods of moxibustion have ideal curative effect on KOA， while the comprehensive curative effect of needle warming moxibustion is more apparent， and this may due to its reduction on COX-2 concentration.