Acupuncture For Low Back Pain

Many medical practitioners and chiropractors are also practicing acupuncturists and have incorporated this therapy into their practices. Combined with the extensive training of these two treatments, acupuncture seems to serve them as an excellent adjunct to traditional care. Many scientific studies are now examining acupuncture treatment, looking for which conditions and illnesses acupuncture is effective. One condition that appears not to be helped by acupuncture is lower back pain.

In 1998 a symposium was held in England to study primary care research for low back pain. Dutch and American researchers examined 11 randomized trials comparing acupuncture with other therapies as a treatment for non-specific lower back pain. The groups concluded that although most studies were not flawless, there was little evidence that acupuncture would benefit low back pain. "We would not recommend acupuncture at this time as a regular treatment for low back patients" is how they put it.

Another study of 262 patients compared acupuncture, massage and low-back education programmes for 10 weeks. In this study deep-tissue massage came out the winner acupuncture a poor second. All 262 patients had had back problems for at least 6 weeks with about 60% having had pain continuously for a year. The average age was 45 and 50% were women. The acupuncture treatment was traditional Chinese in form and whether or not the needles were electronically stimulated was left to the judgement of the licensed acupuncturist performing the treatment.

The self-care education group was mailed books and videos about exercise and care of the low back. 90% of that group read at least part of the book and 70% watched the video.

Although the acupuncture group was largely satisfied with the care they received, the degree of functional improvement was insignificant.

This has been my experience with patients who have tried acupuncture for low back pain; results have been scant; limited to relaxation of muscles during the treatment, much like massage. Rare is the patient who reports that acupuncture unequivocally helped them. Studies are ongoing; however, the fact that 11 of them could find no conclusive evidence is strongly suggestive of ineffectiveness.

Over the past 20 years or so acupuncture has become increasingly popular for all sorts of human conditions and illnesses. Lately, in Canada, acupuncturists and various "colleges" are teaching 110-hour weekend certification courses to literally anyone with $8000 to spend. In Ontario, there is currently a lawsuit involving a hairdresser who inserted a needle to the area above someone's collarbone and collapsed a lung.