Effect of Acupuncture and Laser Acupuncture in the Treatment of People With Chronic Nonspecific Low Back Pain.

Effect of Acupuncture and Laser Acupuncture on Pain and Functional Capacity in People With Chronic Nonspecific Low Back Pain: a Randomised Controlled, Blinded Clinical Trial

The aim of this randomized clinical trial will be to compare the efficacy between acupuncture and laser acupuncture on pain and disability in people with chronic nonspecific low back pain .

Forty-four patients with chronic cnLBP of more than three months duration will be randomly allocated to two groups: acupuncture group (ACP) (n = 22) and laser acupuncture group (LACP) (n = 22).Interventions will last one hour, and will happen twice a week for 5 weeks. The primary clinical outcomes will be pain intensity (11-point numeric pain rating scale) as measured and functional disability (Oswestry Disability Index).The secondary outcomes will be the Pain Catastrophizing Scale, Patient-Specific Functional Scale and fingertip-to-floor test. Evaluations will be performed before and after the first session, after 5 weeks of treatment, and three months after randomization (follow-up). The findings will be analyzed statistically considering a 5% significance level (p ≤ 0.05).

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age 18-65 years;
• Non-specific LBP for at least three months
• Pain intensity of at least 2 points measured using the Numeric Pain Rating Scale

Exclusion Criteria:

• Pregnancy;
• Any contraindication to ACP or having undergone treatment in the previous six months
• Having undergone spinal surgery in the previous six months;
• Serious spinal pathology (e.g. metastasis, spinal fracture, inflammatory, and infective diseases, caudal equine syndrome, canal stenosis, osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis and lumbar radiculopathy);
• Currently in an acute inflammatory phase of known gastrointestinal or urinary diseases (such as cholecysticis, renal calculi, peritonitis, appendicitis);