The length of the study will be a total of 6 weeks. After preliminary screening, prospective participants will be asked to make an appointment at the Student Clinic located in Montclair, NJ to undergo a final qualification interview. Those persons who meet all of the qualification requirements will be assigned to one of two groups. Each group will be scheduled to receive acupuncture treatments for 6 consecutive weeks. The weekly treatments will require a 1 hour commitment every week to be scheduled during the Student Clinic hours. There will be no charge for the treatments. During the study, participants being treated will be required to complete a weekly questionnaire.

Enrollment for the Acupuncture / Electrical Acupuncture to Relieve Lower Back Pain study is from December 2009 through April 2010.

About 8 in 10 people have one or more bouts of low back pain. In most cases, it is not due to a serious disease or serious back problem, and the exact cause of the pain is not clear. This is called non-specific lower back pain.

To be included in the study you must be between the ages of 18 – 70 years of age, who have had non-specific lower back pain for a minimum of 3 months or more.

Any diagnosed specific lower back pain condition such as, but not limited to, the following is excluded from this study: nerve root pain (often called 'sciatica'), cauda equina syndrome, arthritis (inflammation of the joints), osteoarthritis, tumors, infections, cervical spondylosis, spinal stenosis, spondylolisthesis, cervical kyphosis, scoliosis, kyphosis, whiplash injury and pressure from structures near to the spine.

Also prospects taking prescription pain medication (NASIDS are acceptable), autoimmune diseases, morbid obesity (Body Mass Index greater than 40), debilitating progressive disease (HIV/AID, cancer, alcoholism), etc.), prospect has a career or lifestyle that aggravates the condition (helicopter skiing, UPS truck loader, super heavyweight weight lifters) minors, persons with pacemakers, prisoners, pregnant women / neonates, decisionally impaired, non-English speaking, English non-literates, heavy or bingeing consumers of alcohol, recreational drug users (heroin, cocaine, crack, etc.), diabetics, and will be excluded from the study.

Ethnicity is not a consideration in this study.

If hospital treatment is recommended in situations where there the subject has experienced serious physical harm including loss of consciousness or blow to the head, continual vaginal bleeding, possible broken bones, a laceration requiring stitches, abdominal or chest pain present, pregnancy, or other serious medical or emergency conditions they will be removed from the continuing Study.

Noncompliance with study rules including missing appointments or study termination will also remove participants from the study.

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