Acupuncture for Back Pain
What acupuncture research suggests, why guidelines differ, and how to run a safe, outcome-based trial.
Acupuncture research is difficult to interpret because sham needling can produce sensation and physiological effects, while no-treatment comparisons include attention and expectation effects. Some reviews find small average benefits for chronic low back pain, yet guideline panels weigh the size, certainty, cost, and comparator differently.
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