Acupuncture for chronic low back pain | lumbago
Question :
Is acupuncture effective in the treatment of chronic low back pain?
Low back pain or lumbago is a very common musculoskeletal disorder. Most episodes of back pain resolve without treatment. Back pain lasting more that three months is considered to be chronic low back pain.
Research Articles :
Acupuncture therapy for chronic lower back pain: a systematic review.
Four studies meeting eligibility criteria were selected out of fifteen randomised controlled trials. Acupuncture may be superior to usual care in the treatment of chronic low back pain.
Acupuncture and dry-needling for low back pain.
Thirty-five randomized, controlled trials were included in this review article. Three studies were on acute low back pain. Acupuncture was more effective for pain relief and functional improvement in the short term when compared to no treatment or to sham treatment. The authors conclude that higher quality trials will be required.
Meta-analysis: acupuncture for low back pain.
Thirty-three randomized, controlled trials were included in this review article, whick looked at the treatment of acute low back pain and chronic low back pain. Acupuncture was effective for the treatment of chronic low back pain but is was not more effective than other treatments.
References :
Trigkilidas D. Acupuncture therapy for chronic lower back pain: a systematic review
Ann R Coll Surg Engl. 2010 Oct;92(7):595-8. Epub 2010 Jun 7.
Furlan AD, van Tulder MW, Cherkin DC, Tsukayama H, Lao L, Koes BW, Berman BM. Acupuncture and dry-needling for low back pain.
Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2005 Jan 25;(1):CD001351.
Manheimer E, White A, Berman B, Forys K, Ernst E.. Meta-analysis: acupuncture for low back pain.
Ann Intern Med. 2005 Apr 19;142(8):651-63.
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