Acupuncture For Back Pain

Acupuncture for lower back pain no more effective than “sham treatment”, health officials have claimed.

21:23 29 March 2016

Following a review into guidance on dealing with lower back pain, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) has concluded that acupuncture is no more effective than ‘sham treatment’ in addressing the condition.  

 

In their new recommendations, they said that massage and manipulation by physiotherapists should only be used alongside physical activity.

 

Professor Mark Baker, clinical practice director for Nice, said: “Regrettably there is a lack of convincing evidence of effectiveness for some widely-used treatments. For example, acupuncture is no longer recommended for managing low back pain with or without sciatica. This is because there is not enough evidence to show that it is more effective than sham treatment.

 

"Our aim with this draft guideline is to give clarity and set out the most clinical and cost effective ways to treat low back pain and sciatica based on the best available evidence. We now want to hear from all those who provide care for people with these conditions in the NHS, as well as from people with the conditions and their carers, to ensure all relevant views are considered for the final guideline.”