|
Inclusion and exclusion criteria |
| Inclusion criteria |
| Participant plans to continue enrollment in health plan |
| Between 18 and 70 years of age |
| At least one primary care visit for back pain within the past 3–12 months |
| Non-specific, uncomplicated low back pain, i.e., ICD-9 codes: |
| 724.2 Lumbago |
| 724.5 Backache, unspecified |
| 724.8 Other symptoms referable to back |
| 846.0-9 Sprains and strains, sacroiliac |
| 847.2 Sprains and strains, lumbar |
| 847.3 Sprains and strains, sacral |
| 847.9 Sprains and strains, unspecified site of the back |
| Physician willing to have patients included in the study |
| Lives within 45 minutes travel time from study clinic |
| Exclusion criteria |
| Previous acupuncture for any reason |
| Low back pain lasting less than 3 months |
| Mild symptoms (less than 3 on 0 to 10 pain bothersomeness scale) |
| Specific diseases that could be cause of back pain (metastatic cancer, discitis, herniated disc, vertebral fracture, spinal infection, osteitis condensans ilii, severe or progressive scoliosis, spinal stenosis, spondylolisthesis, ankylosing spondylitis) |
| Complicated back problems (sciatica, back surgery in prior 3 years) |
| Other disabling chronic conditions that might confound treatment effects or interpretation of data (e.g., disabling heart or lung disease, diabetic neuropathy, active hepatitis, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis) |
| Acupuncture contraindicated or safety not confirmed (clotting disorders, on anticoagulant therapy, heart pacemaker, pregnancy, seizure disorder) |
| Medico-legal issues (seeking or receiving compensation/litigation for back pain) |
| Conditions possibly making consenting or treatment difficult (paralysis, inability to lie prone for 45 minutes, major psychoses, dementia, scheduling conflicts, severe vision or hearing problems, lack of transportation, unable to read or speak English) |
Cherkin et al. Trials 2008 9:10 doi:10.1186/1745-6215-9-10 |