In 2006 results
were released from the world's largest study of the effectiveness of acupuncture. The study was conducted in Germany and
has been called the "GerAc" study for German Acupuncture Trials.
The study involved over
one thousand patients from more than three hundred clinics. Acupuncture was compared to typical medical care for
lower back pain.
When the results were tallied, acupuncture was found to be TWICE as effective for lower
back pain as medical care. 1.
In our clinic we have found acupuncture to be a very effective treatment
for back pain. Often the treatment has been effective in cases that have failed to respond to other forms of care.
For more than
two decades Dr. Kestner has worked with thousands of patients with spinal pain. He has received many referrals from primary
care doctors, surgeons, physical therapists and other healthcare professionals.
Doctors and surgeons have referred
their own family members to see Dr. Kestner.
Dr. Kestner has treated patients with spinal disc injuries, sprains and
strains, muscle spasms, mechanical low back pain, spondylolisthesis, spinal stenosis and other diagnoses.
To
find out what options might be available for you, contact the office for a FREE consultation. 895-1253
Reference notes: GerAc study
1. The study was conducted in 340 outpatient practices, and included 1162 patients aged 18 to 86 years (mean
50) with a history of chronic low back pain for a mean of eight years. Patients underwent 10 acupuncture sessions, generally
twice per week, of genuine acupuncture, sham acupuncture (superficial needling at nonacupuncture points), or conventional
therapy--a combination of drugs, physical therapy, and exercise. Each group consisted of over 380 patients. Five additional
treatment sessions were offered to patients who had a partial response to treatment.
The primary outcome was patient response after six months, according to defined criteria on various
questionnaires. The response rate was 47.6% in the verum acupuncture group, 44.2% in the sham acupuncture group, and 27.4%
in the conventional therapy group. The effectiveness of acupuncture, either genuine or sham, was almost twice that of conventional
therapy (P<0.001).
