Low back pain trialsAcupuncture Trials for Chronic Low Back Pain
A German research found acupuncture treatment for low back pain are more effective.
German doctors found that acupuncture treatment for low back pain is more effective (almost twice) than the conventional therapy, a combination of drugs, physiotherapy and exercises.
Dr. Michael Haake from the University of Regensburg, who presided over the clinic trial, said: "Acupuncture provide a effective way to treat low back pain, and has less effects."
Acupuncture is more effective than Physical therapy
In the clinical trials, Dr. Haake and his colleagues recruited 1162 patients with chronic low back pain. These patient in average have 8 years of low back pain. These 1162 patients were divided into three groups and received 30 minutes treatment twice per week for a total five weeks. One group received acupuncture treatment; the second group received "Sham acupuncture" treatment; The last group received conventional routine treatment, a combination of drugs, physiotherapy and exercises.
6 months after treatment, a questionnaire has sent to patient who received the treatment. Of which nearly half of the patient who received acupuncture treatment (47.6%) claimed the treatment is effective, compare to the conventional therapy group, only 27.4% found the treatment helpful.
The result showed that low back pain improved after acupuncture treatment for at least 6 months. effectiveness of acupuncture was almost twice that of conventional therapy.
Researchers believe acupuncture may change the mechanism of brain receiving pain signals, or acupuncture may stimulate brain to release a natural analgesic substances leading to pain relief.
References:
Arch Intern Med. 2007; Vol. 167 Issue 17 pp: 1892 -1898
