A Pilot Study Comparing Frequency and Style of Acupuncture for Chronic Low Back Pain

Status

Active, not recruiting

Phases

Unknown

Study type

Interventional

Source

ISRCTN

Registry ID

ISRCTN41571810

Enrollment

Registered

2005-11-04

Start date

2005-09-01

Completion date

Unknown

Last updated

2015-01-13

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Non-specific low back pain Musculoskeletal Diseases Dorsalgia

Interventions

1. Traditional Chinese acupuncture (with moxibustion and cupping if necessary) 2. Western acupuncture

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

All

Inclusion criteria

Inclusion criteria: 1. Non-specific acute or chronic low back pain (LBP) as the chief complaint, with or without leg pain 2. Age between 18-60 years and of both genders

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion criteria: 1. History of disc or spine surgery 2. Sciatica 3. Neurological disorders and possible serious pathological back problem 4. Systemic bone or joint disorders (e.g. rheumatoid arthritis) 5. Pregnancy 6. Dementia 7. Severe clotting disorders or anticoagulant therapy 8. Epilepsy 9. Systemic or visceral disease 10. Current use of systemic corticosteroids, muscle relaxants, narcotic medications 11. Overt psychiatric illness 12. Receiving acupuncture treatment within the past 6 months 13. Unemployment or having current pending compensation claims 14. Other acute orthopaedic or medical problems

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame
Visual analogue scale (VAS)	—

Secondary

Measure	Time frame
1. Functional disability 2. Quality of life 3. Psychological impact 4. Shuttle walk test 5. Lateral trunk flexibility	—

Countries

United Kingdom

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ISRCTN (via WHO ICTRP) · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026