Acupuncture-Like Treatments Improve Outcomes Compared to Usual Care for Low Back Pain

People suffering from chronic low back pain who received acupuncture or simulated acupuncture treatments fared better than those receiving only conventional care according to a recent study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. The study highlights central questions about the mechanisms of benefit seen in acupuncture studies.

"Because of the lack of highly effective medical treatments for chronic low back pain, we were pleased to find that acupuncture-like treatments were helpful for persons suffering from chronic back pain," said Daniel Cherkin, Ph.D. "However, the finding that real acupuncture produced no greater benefit than simulated acupuncture raises important questions about acupuncture’s mechanisms of action."