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Jorg Nienhaus, MSc · October 2026

Acupuncture for back, neck, shoulder and joint pain: what does the research say?

You may wonder whether acupuncture really works, or whether it is mostly a matter of belief. That is a fair question. In our practice we combine physiotherapy and acupuncture, and we think you should know what scientific research says about it, and where its limits are.

The largest analysis so far

An international group of researchers pooled the raw data of 39 well-designed randomised trials, together almost 21,000 patients. They had long-lasting back or neck pain, osteoarthritis, shoulder pain or headache. For each of these complaints, acupuncture reduced pain more than no acupuncture, and also more than sham acupuncture (Vickers et al., 2018).

The difference compared with usual care was clearly noticeable. The difference compared with sham acupuncture was smaller, but consistently present. This shows the effect cannot be explained by expectation or attention alone.

Does the effect last?

The same data showed that about 90% of the benefit was still present one year after the course of treatment, compared with people who had no acupuncture (MacPherson et al., 2017).

Recent research

  • Low back pain in older adults. In a US study of 800 people aged 65 and over, those who received acupuncture had less back-related disability after 6 and 12 months than those who received usual care alone (DeBar et al., 2025).
  • Sciatica from a disc herniation. In 216 people with long-lasting leg pain, leg pain dropped about twice as much after four weeks as with sham acupuncture. The difference was still visible after one year (Tu et al., 2024).
  • Knee osteoarthritis. A review of studies shows improvements in pain and function lasting three to six months after the course of treatment. International guidelines are still divided on this.

What do guidelines say?

Since 2021, the UK's NICE advises considering a course of acupuncture for chronic primary pain (long-term pain without a clear underlying condition). The American College of Physicians lists acupuncture among the first non-drug options for chronic low back pain.

Together with exercise

Research from Ghent University on needling treatments for muscle and joint complaints shows that needling combined with physiotherapy helps more in the short term than physiotherapy alone (Chys et al., 2023). That is how we work too: acupuncture does not replace exercise, it supports it and can make it easier to get moving again.

Is it safe?

In the hands of a well-trained therapist, acupuncture is a safe treatment. A small bruise, a drop of blood or some soreness afterwards can occur. Serious complications are rare.

Honest about the limits

Acupuncture is not a miracle cure. Not everyone responds equally well, and most research concerns long-lasting complaints. Less is known about acute injuries. That is why, after a few sessions, we review together whether it is working for you and adjust the approach if needed.

In scientific research, acupuncture is usually given according to a fixed protocol. In our practice, we tailor the treatment to your individual complaints and pattern. In our experience this works, and the combination with physiotherapy usually works better.

Would you like to know whether acupuncture could help with your complaint? Feel free to contact us. Information about fees and reimbursement can be found on the Fees and insurance page.

Sources

  1. Vickers AJ, Vertosick EA, Lewith G, et al. Acupuncture for chronic pain: update of an individual patient data meta-analysis. J Pain. 2018;19(5):455-474. doi:10.1016/j.jpain.2017.11.005
  2. MacPherson H, Vertosick EA, et al. The persistence of the effects of acupuncture after a course of treatment: a meta-analysis of patients with chronic pain. Pain. 2017;158(5):784-793. doi:10.1097/j.pain.0000000000000747
  3. DeBar LL, et al. Acupuncture for chronic low back pain in older adults: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA Netw Open. 2025;8(9):e2531348. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.31348
  4. Tu JF, Shi GX, Yan SY, et al. Acupuncture vs sham acupuncture for chronic sciatica from herniated disk: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA Intern Med. 2024;184(12):1417-1424. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2024.5463
  5. Durable effects of acupuncture for knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Curr Pain Headache Rep. 2024;28(7):709-722. doi:10.1007/s11916-024-01242-6
  6. Chys M, De Meulemeester K, De Greef I, et al. Clinical effectiveness of dry needling in patients with musculoskeletal pain: an umbrella review. J Clin Med. 2023;12(3):1205. doi:10.3390/jcm12031205
  7. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Chronic pain (primary and secondary) in over 16s. NICE guideline NG193, 2021. nice.org.uk/guidance/ng193
  8. Qaseem A, et al. Noninvasive treatments for acute, subacute, and chronic low back pain: a clinical practice guideline from the American College of Physicians. Ann Intern Med. 2017;166(7):514-530. PubMed 28192789

This article is general information and not personal medical advice.