A very large clinical trial (>3000 patients) has proven that the addition of acupuncture to a
comprehensive back care plan results in a significant improvement in back function. The North American Spine Society (NASS) has recently endorsed acupuncture as providing better pain relief and functional improvement than either no treatment or conventional treatment alone. (Berman BM et al. New England Journal of Medicine. July 2010; 363:454-61.)
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21038519