Reduction of chronic non-specific low back pain: a randomised controlled clinical trial on acupuncture and baclofen.
BACKGROUND
Chronic non-specific low back pain (LBP) is a prevalent (80%) and multi-dimensional illness. This study aims to test whether acupuncture, baclofen, or combined treatment with acupuncture and baclofen alleviates symptoms of non-specific chronic LBP in men.


METHODS
Eight-four (84) men aged 50-60 years with non-specific chronic LBP were randomly assigned to four groups: the baclofen group received only baclofen (30 mg/day); the acupuncture group received only acupuncture at selected acupoints; the acupuncture + baclofen group received combined treatment with acupuncture and baclofen treatments; and the control group received no pain reduction treatment. After five weeks of treatment, visual analogue scale (VAS) and self-reported pain disability with the Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (RDQ) were conducted for outcome measures.


RESULTS
After treatment, the baclofen, acupuncture and acupuncture + baclofen groups all had lower VAS and RDQ scores. Significantly higher reduction and improvement in VAS and RDQ scores were found in the acupuncture and acupuncture + baclofen groups compared to the baclofen group.


CONCLUSIONS
The present study indicates that the combined treatment of acupuncture and baclofen is more effective than baclofen treatment alone to reduce pain in patients with non-specific chronic LBP.


BACKGROUND
ACTRN12609000698279.
Zaringhalam
Jalal
J
Physiology Department, Neuroscience Research Centre, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. jzaringhalam@yahoo.com
Manaheji
Homa
H
Rastqar
Ali
A
Zaringhalam
Maryam
M