In May 2009, The Times reported that "using acupuncture to treat chronic back pain is more effective than standard treatments alone, a leading scientific study has found." The study suggests that acupuncture "produced a substantial improvement in symptoms and the ability of patients to cope with their condition at eight weeks. By contrast, patients on standard care were only slightly better. The beneficial effects lasted for a year". (Times Online)
The NHS web site states that acupuncture "performed better than Western remedies, including drugs". It goes on to say that this "well designed and conducted study has shown that acupuncture can improve ability to function in people with chronic low back pain". (NHS News)
Recently, a series of trials conducted in Germany have concluded that "low back pain improved after acupuncture treatment for at least 6 months." Researchers have demonstrated that the "effectiveness of acupuncture was almost twice that of conventional therapy." (National Institutes of Health)