Clinical practice guidelines of using acupuncture for low back pain

Abstract

Based on extensive accumulated evidence and using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system, we have developed clinical practice guidelines for the use of acupuncture to treat low back pain (LBP). In the guidelines, we considered the objective and scope of this guide, the diagnostic criteria and syndrome differentiation standards of traditional Chinese medicine and western medicine for LBP, the treatment principles of acupuncture, intervention opportunities for acupuncture, and recommendations for use of different acupuncture therapies for acute/subacute and chronic LBP.