Back Pain Response to Different Acupuncture Methods

Inclusion criteria

• Volunteers 18-60 years of age.
• Meet the Classification Criteria of the chronic LBP (having low back pain for more than 6 months), as determined by the referring physician.
• At least 4/10 clinical pain on the 11-point LBP intensity scale.
• Patients must be able to provoke or exacerbate their chronic LBP using our calibrated exercise-like maneuver.
• Must have had a prior evaluation of their low back pain by a health care provider, which may have included radiographic studies. Documentation of this evaluation will be sought from Partners or outside medical records and kept in the subject's research record.
• At least a 10th grade English-reading level; English can be a second language provided that the patients feel they understand all the questions used in the assessment measures.

Exclusion criteria

• Specific causes of back pain (e.g. cancer, fractures, spinal stenosis, infections),
• Complicated back problems (e.g. prior back surgery, medicolegal issues),
• Possible contraindications for acupuncture (e.g. coagulation disorders, cardiac pacemakers, pregnancy, seizure disorder), and conditions that might confound acupuncture intervention effects or interpretation of results (e.g. severe fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis).
• Conditions making acupuncture difficult (e.g. paralysis, psychoses),
• Prior acupuncture treatment for back pain; 1 year wait for any other type.
• The intent to undergo surgery during the time of involvement in the study.
• History of cardiac, respiratory, or nervous system disease that, in Dr. Wasan's judgment, precludes participation in the study because of a heightened potential for adverse outcome. For example: asthma or claustrophobia.
• Presence of any contraindications to MRI scanning. For example: cardiac pacemaker, metal implants, fear of closed spaces, pregnancy.
• Involvement in workmen's compensation or disability claims.
• Radicular pain extending below the knee.
• Active substance abuse disorders within the last 24 months, based on subject self-report.
• Use of more than 60 mg morphine equivalent prescription opioids or steroids for pain.