Acupuncture on GB26 to Treat Chronic Low Back Pain
Acupuncture on GB26 to Treat Chronic Low Back Pain
This study evaluates the effecacy of acupoint GB26 based acupuncture treatment in patients
 with chronic low back pain. Half of the participants will partake in a 2-week acupuncture
 intervention, while the other half will receive a placebo treatment. The investigators
 hypothesize that acupuncture on GB26 reduces disability and pain more than the control
 intervention.
Inclusion Criteria:

 -  Adults (both male and female) with non-specific low back pain for more than three
 months.

 -  Age range: between 20 and 60 years.

 -  Willingness of the patient to participate in the study, and written informed consent
 signed and personally dated by the patient.

 -  Chronic non-specific low back pain clinically diagnosed as repeated lumbar sourness
 and swelling pain or a chronic progressive process, accompanied by (i) X-ray
 examination to exclude lumbar vertebrate fractures, spondylolysis, spondylolisthesis
 and severe osteoporosis, and/or (ii) MRI with normal signal or low nucleus pulposus
 signal.

 Exclusion Criteria:

 -  Age less than 20 or greater than 60 years

 -  Specific causes of back pain (e.g., cancer, fractures, spinal stenosis, infections)

 -  Complicated back problems (e.g., prior back surgery, medico-legal issues)

 -  Possible contraindications for acupuncture (e.g., coagulation disorders, cardiac
 pacemakers, pregnancy, seizure disorder), and conditions that might confound treatment
 effects or interpretation of results (e.g., severe fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis)

 -  Conditions making treatment difficult (e.g., paralysis, psychoses, or other severe
 psychiatric problems based on the judgment of a physician investigator and/or a T
 score >60 on the psychological assessments performed during Session 1)

 -  Prior acupuncture treatment for back pain; 1 year minimum for any other condition.

 -  The intent to undergo surgery during the time of involvement in the study.

 -  History of cardiac, respiratory, or nervous system disease that, in the judgment of a
 physician investigator, precludes participation in the study because of a heightened
 potential for adverse outcome (e.g., asthma, claustrophobia)

 -  Presence of any contraindications to MRI scanning (e.g., cardiac pacemaker, metal
 implants, fear of closed spaces, pregnancy)

 -  Active substance abuse disorders within the last 24 months, based on subject
 self-report

 -  Radicular knee pain extending below the knee