Acupuncture for low back pain:a clinical practice guideline from the Hong Kong taskforce of standardized acupuncture practice

OBJECTIVE:To develop a clinical practice guideline to guide the treatment of low back pain by acupuncture.METHODS:An integrative approach of systematic review of literature,clinical evidence classification,expert opinion surveying,and consensus establishing via a Delphi program was utilized during the developing process.Both evidence-based practice standards and the personalized features of acupuncture were taken into considerations.RESULTS:Based on clinical evidence and expert opinions,we developed a clinical practice guideline for the treatment of low back pain with acupuncture.These recommendations have a wide coverage spanning from Western Medicine diagnosis and Traditional Chinese Medicine syndrome differentiation,to acupuncture treatment procedures,as well as post treatment care for rehabilitation and follow-ups.The recommendations for acupuncture practice included treatment principles,therapeutic regimens,and operational procedures.The levels of evidence and strength of recommendation were rated for each procedure of practice.CONCLUSION:A clinical practice guideline for acupuncture treating low back pain was developed based on contemporary clinical evidence and experts'consensus to provide best currently agreeable practice guideline for domestic and international stakeholders.