Is Acupuncture Effective in Treating Low Back Pain?

Acupuncture is an alternative medicine modality where needles are used to stimulate specific points in the body thought to affect pain and function.  Over the years, this discipline has been used for the treatment of various conditions including chronic pain, and is still practiced widely throughout China and the United States.

Despite its popularity, the efficacy of acupuncture alone in the treatment of chronic low back pain remains to be seen, with many suggesting any positive results are due to the placebo effect. Some have found it beneficial when combined with a regular exercise therapy program, however. Such were the findings of a recent report published by Kizhakkeveettil and colleagues who reviewed scientific evidence in the form of twenty-one studies and found that alternative treatments such as acupuncture combined with conventional treatments such as core and lumbar stabilization programs showed promise in the treatment of chronic low back pain.