The treatment that improves chronic back pain

The older Americans with chronic low back pain that they received acupuncture experienced greater improvement in its physical function and a pain reduction That those who only received habitual medical care, generally prescribed medications or physiotherapy, according to a study by the American medical organization Kaiser permanent. The work was published in Jama.

Treatment options cover from analgesics to complementary therapies, Like acupuncture. However, there is an urgent need for safe, effective and non -addictive pain management strategies.

“Of the different treatments we have for chronic low back pain, most have a relatively moderate effect. They usually reduce pain by approximately a third, maximum, and can help people work better, “says the main author, the doctor Lynn L. Debardistinguished researcher of permanent Kaiser. “Our clinical results suggest that acupuncture works as well as many other better known therapies. We discovered that the magnitude of this effect, although modest, was positive and sustained.”

The clinical trial, known as Backinationhe had 800 participantswhose results were based on disability evaluations related to pain, carried out by the participants themselves, after a treatment that included or omitted acupuncture. The researchers analyzed whether the manual acupuncture, which is covered by Medicare, could improve the function and reduce pain in older adults with chronic or persistent low back pain.

The participants of Backination They included Men and women 65 years or older with medical background of low back pain For at least three months. All participants had medical coverage and were not prevented from receiving habitual medical attention for their back pain. A third received until 15 acupuncture sessions For three months (standard acupuncture treatment) and another third received six additional acupuncture sessions (maintenance sessions) during the following three months.

In three stages of the study (three, six and twelve months after registration), participants self -evaluated their pain and physical limitations. His agreement with any of the 24 statements that describe daily activities that are hindered by back pain contributed to the participant’s disability score. The researchers used additional tools to better understand pain levels, the degree of physical functioning, depression and anxiety.

In the evaluations of the six and twelve months, both groups that received acupuncture presented a greater reduction in pain disability than those who only received habitual medical attention. The groups treated with acupuncture also presented a lower intensity of pain and a greater physical function after six months, compared to participants who did not receive acupuncture. The researchers also reported that Acupuncture treatment was associated with less anxiety symptoms compared to common medical care only, in the evaluations of the six and twelve months.

“What distinguishes study Backination is that he focused specifically on adults of 65 years or more and was designed pragmaticly “highlights should. “We strive to involve adults from several regions of the country so that the demography of the participants coincided with that of the American Census of older adults, and we work with acupuncturists licensed in the community, who are more likely to provide these services.”

The authors of the study suggest that access to Acupuncture is important for older adults with chronic back pain And that if acupuncture professionals could invoice directly to Medicare, they could greatly improve access to such services.

“We observe very few adverse effects during the clinical trial”ends the main co -investigator, the doctor Andrea J. Cookprincipal bioestadic researcher at Kaiser permanent. “Older adults usually suffer from other medical problems in addition to back pain. Acupuncture offers a less invasive option with a higher security profile that many of the common treatments for back pain in older adults. “