Acupuncture cheaper, more effective for back pain, says UK healthcare agency

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Acupuncture cheaper, more effective for back pain, says UK healthcare agency
September 16, 2006
Earthtimes.org

ONDON: The British National Health Service could soon make acupuncture a treatment option available to back pain sufferers in the UK. In a study it commissioned the agency found the ancient Chinese needle treatment was more effective in treating back pain.

Even more importantly, it could result in impressive savings in cost as well productivity loss. The NHS spends an average of £480m a year on back pain treatment. Back pain hurts the UK economy by more than £10bn in productivity loss, disability and sickness benefits every year. According to one estimate, 8 in every 10 UK adults suffer back pain at some point in their lives and have to seek treatment from their local healthcare outlet or a GP.

Results of the study aimed to compare acupuncture with the usual care showed up in favor of the Chinese treatment method. It led the NHS to say it might be the cheaper option although it cost more compared to the usual care.

The 2yr study involved 241 patients aged between 18 and 65 years who complained of non-specific lower back pain. 160 patients, randomly chosen, were assigned acupuncture while the rest were provided the usual care for such conditions. The researchers observed that patients who were made to go through a required number of acupuncture sessions needed fewer pain killers compared to those who were administered the usual NHS care.

Pain levels and improvement in condition were observed periodically. After three months, there seemed greater likelihood of the acupuncture group being Ïvery satisfiedÓ with their treatment. Although comparative pain levels were barely different on a one-year scale, the benefits from acupuncture were clearly evident after 24 months, the report said. Patients on acupuncture therapy registered 10 to 15 percent lower pain levels compared to patients in the other group.

The cost of administering acupuncture would be far less than a threshold figure the NHS had set to decide whether the treatment can be funded by the state. The actual costs were clearly outweighed by the benefits, the report mentions.

Acupuncture is a system where needles are inserted into specific points in the body in order to effect a cure for various diseases. Although the West views it with skepticism, even derision, millions of Asians vouch for its efficacy in treating chronic to ordinary diseases.

Medical experts propose statutory regulation for the alternative therapy so that more people in the UK can benefit from it. Currently, 2 percent of the UK population uses this alternative therapy in any one year but there is no conclusive evidence of its benefits.

The study was conducted by researchers from Sheffield University, led by Dr Hugh McPherson of the University of York. The report was published in the online British Medical Journal.