Background: Lower back pain (LBP) is a prevalent musculoskeletal condition. Acupuncture is commonly used for pain management, with electroacupuncture (EA) being a widely accepted treatment. However, limited evidence exists on the immediate effects of balance meridian acupuncture (BMA) compared to EA. Objective: To evaluate the immediate effects of EA and BMA on pain and disability in individuals with chronic LBP. Methods: A prospective randomized controlled trial was conducted with 80 participants (69% male, 31% female) aged 25–70 years (EA group: 47.5 ± 8.21 years; BMA group: 43.9 ± 8.51 years), diagnosed with LBP for up to 4 years. Pain and functional outcomes were assessed at baseline and after 25 min of intervention using a goniometer, Visual Analog Scale, McGill Pain Questionnaire, and Oswestry Disability Index. The study was registered under the Clinical Trial Registry of India (CTRI/2024/05/066646). Results: Both interventions demonstrated improvements in pain intensity and disability, with significant clinical improvement in the BMA group ( p < 0.01) for pain intensity, stiffness, and lumbar spine (LS) function. LS extension, LS flexion, and lateral flexion showed marked improvement in the BMA group compared to the EA group. Conclusion: BMA is a feasible and superior treatment compared to EA in reducing pain, and stiffness and enhancing joint balance in individuals with chronic LBP in the short term.
Valsakumar et al. (Wed,) studied this question.