Low Back Pain  Acupuncture  Herbal Medicine  Magnetic Therapy  Manual Therapies  Movement Therapies  Nutritional Approaches Complementary Approaches Acupuncture Many people with chronic low back pain have historically benefited from acupuncture even though research does not show consistent results. Over the last twenty years a number of controlled trials have suggested positive benefits from acupuncture for the treatment of chronic low back pain in comparison to placebo (dummy treatment), standard care or other alternative treatments. While these studies have been relatively small, the overall evidence to date does suggest that some low back pain patients may benefit from certain types of acupuncture to a moderate degree (Berman, 1997). Larger more rigorous studies are needed before general conclusions can be drawn. It is known that acupuncture can alter levels of specific chemical compounds in the brain (especially hormones and neurotransmitters) including Substance P, endorphins, and ACTH. From the theoretical perspective, therefore, acupuncture could indirectly affect low back pain positively by improving the balance of these chemicals, (Han, 1987).