The study involved 1 100 patients who were randomly assigned to be treated with true acupuncture, sham acupuncture or conventional Western medicine and therapy.

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The sham acupuncture differed from the true method in that the needles were not inserted as deeply into the skin. Also, the needles were placed in areas of the patients’ bodies that are not considered traditional acupuncture points, nor were the needles moved or rotated during the duration of the study.

More effective than conventional methods
Six months later, the patients were contacted to determine the results. Forty-seven percent of the patients treated with true acupuncture reported improvement as did 44% of the sham acupuncture group. Only 27% of the conventional medicine group reported that they felt some relief.

Researchers believe that the pain relief reported by the acupuncture patients could either have been due to their bodies’ natural response to the needles or the placebo effect.

Co-author of the study, Dr Heinz Endres of Ruhr University Bochum in Bochum, Germany theorises that pain messages to the brain can be blocked by similar or competing stimuli.

Dr Endres believes that acupuncture could one day become a credible, medical treatment.

"Acupuncture represents a highly promising and effective treatment option for chronic back pain," he says. "Patients experienced not only reduced pain intensity, but also reported improvements in the disability that often results from back pain and therefore in their quality of life."

Patients who received medical treatment were given injections, painkillers, heat therapy and other treatments. The study did not include people who suffered back pain caused by spinal fractures, tumours, scoliosis or pregnancy.

Sources: Associated Press, Med Page Today
 

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