Efficacy of acupuncture in treating chronic non-specific low back pain

Objective To provide an update on the evidence of the effectiveness of acupuncture in treating chronic non-specific low back pain (CNSLBP) based on randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of acupuncture for CNSLBP published between 2006 and 2020. Methods A comprehensive literature search was conducted through the University of Malta website, using the HyDi search engine. The 'Advanced Search' option was chosen in order to search for articles that were published in English, and associated with the key words, 'Chronic', 'Acupuncture', 'Needle', 'Needling', 'Non-specific' and 'Low Back Pain', which were entered in their 'Subject' field, from the year 2006 till 2020. A comprehensive reading and analysis was done for the search result. Results Through the use of the HyDi search engine, accessible through the University of Malta, eighteen randomized controlled trials that met the criteria of this study were selected. Conclusion Through the analysis and comparison of the studies selected for this literature review, there is evidence providing that acupuncture is significantly more effective than current conservative treatment modalities for patients with CNSLBP in reducing pain and improving function.