04/08/2026
The article reports on a randomized controlled trial comparing two acupuncture approaches for acute low back pain: needling distal points only (Houxi SI-3 and Yaotongxue EX-UE7, delivered as motion style acupuncture with active lumbar movement) versus needling local points mainly combined with a distal point (Shenshu BL-23, Dachangshu BL-25, and Weizhong BL-40). Over 101 patients and eight treatment sessions across four weeks, both groups improved significantly in pain (VAS) and disability (ODI) scores, with the distal-only group showing somewhat larger gains, though the overall between-group difference didn't reach statistical significance. The authors conclude that a distal-points-only approach appears at least as effective as, and possibly better than, the more commonly taught local-plus-distal approach, while noting the trial's small sample and higher dropout rate mean larger studies are needed to confirm the finding.
Acute low back pain (ALBP) is one of the most common reasons people seek care, yet the evidence base for how we should needle it remains surprisingly thin. Most trials lump every style of acupuncture together, and in practice, most clinicians default to local points.
