Acupuncture (sticking needles at specific points to a certain depth in the skin) is not an effective treatment for chronic low back pain. This may sound surprising as the media has jumped all over a new study that supposedly shows that acupuncture is more effective than "usual care". Unfortunately - as the media usually does - they've misinterpreted the results of the study. In fact the study showed that there is no difference in the effectiveness between "fake" and "real" acupuncture. Meaning, there is no effect of acupuncture.
Steven Novella over at Science-based Medicine does a masterful job of explaining this in detail. Please visit his post on this study to become enlightened by logical and scientifically based thoughts and discussion - as opposed to hype.
Jason L. Harris
Documenting therapy and rehabilitation services
10 years ago
