Low Back Pain

Lower back pain (lumbago) is usually a symptom of stress or damage to your ligaments, muscles, tendons or discs. In some cases, if a nerve in the back is pinched or irritated it can lead to sciatica where the pain can spread to the buttocks and thighs.

Acupuncture treatment involves an examination of the back through palpation and focussed massage.  In addition to acupuncture, treatment may also involve the use of moxa, cupping and electro-acupuncture, depending on the condition and muscle groups involved.  Lifestyle advice may be given to help aid recovery.

Treatment for acute injuries may involve twice weekly sessions.  For more chronic or recurring conditions, weekly or fortnightly sessions are recommended until symptoms are relieved.  Many people find that occasional ‘maintenance’ treatments (once every 4-6 weeks) help to minimise the reoccurrence of low back pain and sciatica. 

In May 2009 NICE guidelines recommended acupuncture for low back pain within the NHS.

Several large clinical trials have been done on acupuncture for low back pain:

In 2007 MacPherson compared ‘Acupuncture and GP care’ with ‘Usual GP care’ in 241 patients and found that the group who received acupuncture were ”...more likely to report fewer concerns about their back pain, less likely to report current use of analgesics for their pain, and more likely to report no pain for the past 12 months…”. You can read the entire York Acupuncture for Back Pain Trial article here.     

You may also want to read the Acupuncture may ease back pain article on the NHS Choices website.

And the following news articles:

‘Scott Henshall: I’m scared of needles but acupuncture works’ article by Adrian Lee on the Express.co.uk website 16/2/10

How’s your back? BBC Radio 4 - Eddie Mair’s Blog 27/5/09

Scientists find acupuncture can help to relieve chronic back pain The Times 12/5/09

Needles ‘are best for back pain’, BBC News Online, 25/9/07