Healthy living
Body matters
Acupuncture relieves persistent back pain
Even the researchers don't know why acupuncture eases back ache, but it seems to work for many sufferers
The so-called 'needle cure' works nearly twice as well at relieving back pain as conventional therapies, say a team of scientists at the University of Regensburg in Germany.
Almost half the patients they studied who underwent acupuncture said that their pain was greatly reduced, sometimes for months at a time. This compares to just a quarter who got relief from drugs or other therapies, including injections, heat therapy and massage.
However the study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine also found that fake acupuncture was almost as effective as the genuine article, so it is possible that the pain relief brought about by inserting needles in the skin is simply psychological.
In the largest study of its kind, scientists looked at 1162 patients who had suffered chronic back pain for an average of eight years.
The volunteers were randomly divided into three groups. The first group were given real acupuncture – based on traditional Chinese methods; the second had pretend acupuncture – involving using needles at non-acupuncture points, and the final group were treated with conventional drugs and physical therapy.
After six months the team found that 47 per cent of those patients who had received the real acupuncture responded to treatment compared to only 27 per cent in the conventional treatment group.
Unexpectedly the improvement in the real acupuncture group was only marginally better than that seen in the pretend acupuncture group.
The team concludes that 'acupuncture gives physicians a promising and effective treatment option for those experiencing chronic lower back pain.'
However they also acknowledge that the results question the theory behind acupuncture, which says that the needles have to be inserted at special pressure points in the skin. This may not be the case after all.
Nia Taylor, chief executive of BackCare says, 'There is unlikely ever to be one solution to everyone's back pain. If people want to try acupuncture and understand that there are no guarantees, we recommend that you first talk to your GP, and check that the acupuncturist is registered with the British Medical Acupuncture Society or British Acupuncture Council.
'You should get an idea of whether it is helping within five or six sessions.'
It is estimated that as many as 85 per cent of the population experiences back pain at some point, and it is the largest single cause of taking days off work At least half of people with backache have recurring problems.
In most cases the symptoms soon ease, however some people develop chronic or persistent pain that requires treatment.
There are a number of factors that contribute to back pain including being overweight and smoking. Psychological factors can also play a role: people who are stressed or anxious often complain of back pain.
If you are in pain from your back, it is important to stay active: bed rest will only make it worse. Exercise can be a very effective method of reducing pain and promoting recovery.
* BackCare - Tel (Helpline): 0845 130 2704. www.backcare.org.uk
Information on this site is for interest only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. You should consult your own doctor about any specific health concerns.