Acupuncture for Chronic Low Back Pain in Older Adults

Is acupuncture needling (both a standard acupuncture course and additional maintenance sessions) an effective treatment for older adults with chronic low back pain (CLBP)?In this randomized clinical trial that included 800 older adults with CLBP, acupuncture needling (both a standard course and additional maintenance sessions) improved pain-related disability with CLBP at 6 months and 12 months, with no statistically discernible benefit of additional maintenance sessions.These findings suggest that acupuncture needling is an effective and safe treatment option for older adults with CLBP.

Corresponding Author: Lynn L. DeBar, PhD, MPH, Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research, 3800 North Interstate, Portland, OR 97227 (lynn.debar@kpchr.org).

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