Acupuncture Effective For Low Back Pain In Older Adults:NIH Study Shows

  Acupuncture:   An NIH-funded clinical trial called BackInAction examined whether acupuncture could improve outcomes for older adults (65+) with chronic low back pain—a condition that affects over one-third of this population and is a leading cause of disability worldwide.

DeBar LL, Wellman RD, Justice M, et al. Acupuncture for Chronic Low Back Pain in Older Adults: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Netw Open. 2025;8(9):e2531348. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.31348

The study enrolled 800 participants and compared usual medical care (such as medications or physical therapy) with acupuncture treatment. Participants receiving acupuncture underwent up to 15 sessions over three months, with some receiving additional maintenance treatments. Researchers evaluated outcomes at 3, 6, and 12 months using self-reported pain, disability scores, physical function, and mental health measures.

Results showed that acupuncture provided meaningful benefits. At both 6 and 12 months, participants who received acupuncture reported greater reductions in pain-related disability compared to those receiving usual care alone. They also experienced lower pain intensity and improved physical function. Notably, acupuncture was associated with reduced anxiety symptoms as well.

While the magnitude of improvement was described as modest—similar to many conventional treatments—the effects were consistent and sustained over time. Importantly, acupuncture demonstrated a strong safety profile, with very few adverse effects reported. This is particularly relevant for older adults, who often have multiple medical conditions and may be more vulnerable to side effects from medications.

The study highlights acupuncture as a viable, non-invasive, and non-addictive option for chronic pain management. Researchers emphasized the importance of improving access, suggesting that allowing acupuncturists to bill Medicare directly could expand availability for older patients seeking safer alternatives to conventional pain treatments.