Clinical Research Directory

Inclusion Criteria: * Volunteers 18-60 years of age * Meet the Classification Criteria of the chronic low back pain (having low back pain for more than 6 months), as determined by the referring physician. * At least 4/10 clinical pain on the 11-point low back pain intensity scale. * Must have had a prior evaluation of their low back pain by a health care provider, which may have included radiographic studies. Documentation of this evaluation will be sought from Partners or outside medical records and kept in the subject's research record. * At least a 10th grade English-reading level; English can be a second language provided that the patients feel they understand all the questions used in the assessment measures. Exclusion Criteria: * Specific causes of back pain (e.g. cancer, fractures, infections), * Complicated back problems (e.g. prior back surgery, medico legal issues), * Possible contraindications for acupuncture (e.g. coagulation disorders, cardiac pacemakers, pregnancy, seizure disorder), and conditions that might confound longitudinal effects or interpretation of results (e.g. severe fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis). * Conditions making study participation difficult (eg, paralysis, psychoses, or other severe psychological problems as per the judgment of a study investigator during Session 1) * The intent to undergo surgery during the time of involvement in the study. * History of cardiac, respiratory, or nervous system disease that, in the investigator's judgment, precludes participation in the study because of a heightened potential for adverse outcome. For example: asthma or claustrophobia. * Unresolved medical legal/disability/workers compensation claims in connection with low back pain. * Active substance abuse disorder in the past 24 months, as determined by self-report and/or urine toxicology * Lacking the capacity to consent for oneself