This week saw multiple news outlets covering a new study examining the efficacy of 56 different treatments for lower back pain.
The systematic review published in the BMJ concluded that just one treatment for acute lower back pain and five treatments for chronic or long-term back pain were efficacious. These include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen, spinal manipulative therapy, taping, antidepressants, and transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1). But even these were found to have ‘slight’ or ‘small’ reductions in pain compared with a placebo. Cashin et. al, the authors of the study found that the certainty of the evidence for acupuncture was ‘low’ but that it may provide moderate reductions in pain for both short and long-term back pain.
Ian Appleyard, Research and Policy Manager at the BAcC, responded, “We welcome the publication of the review by Cashin et al (2025). The analysis shows that acupuncture is among the best-performing therapies available for back pain. The study also looked at heat and cupping, and indicated that these therapies lead to moderate and small reductions in pain, respectively. However, both cupping and heat, in the form of moxibustion, are part of the traditional practice of acupuncture. A traditional acupuncturist will commonly combine these techniques to enhance the therapeutic effect. The study also focuses on placebo-controlled trials. Placebo acupuncture is not inert & this will lead to the clinical benefits being under-estimated: i.e. it will appear less efficacious.
The Cashin et al meta-analysis along with other high-quality studies such as Vickers et al (2018) demonstrate that acupuncture provides clinically meaningful benefits for those with chronic pain. Indeed, acupuncture is recommended in the NICE guidelines for chronic primary pain”
The BAcC represents practitioners who have undertaken degree-level training in acupuncture and is an Accredited Register of the PSA.
For more information go to the BAcC fact sheet on back pain, and you can find your local BAcC registered practitioner here.
