People suffering from chronic low back pain who received acupuncture or simulated acupuncture treatments had better results than those receiving only conventional care, according to a study published this week in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

In this trial of more than 600 adults with chronic lower-back pain who had never had acupuncture, folks were divided up and assigned to receive one of four treatments:

• individualized acupuncture, involving a customized prescription for acupuncture points from a diagnostician;
  
• standardized acupuncture, using a single prescription for acupuncture points that experts consider generally effective for chronic low back pain;
  
• simulated acupuncture, which mimics needle acupuncture with toothpicks but does not involve actual penetration of the skin; or
  
• conventional care, which mostly involved medications, primary care, and physical therapy visits.

After eight weeks of treatment, the patients receiving the three forms of acupuncture all improved significantly more than the patients receiving conventional care. And there was no significant difference between the groups receiving the needle and the toothpick acupuncture.