The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence has given its backing to complementary therapies for the first time.

NICE has recommended acupuncture and chiropractic treatments alongside exercise therapy for treatment of low back pain that has lasted for longer than six weeks.

Clinicians have been warned against injecting substances into patients’ backs for non specific low back pain.

NICE clinical and public health director Peter Littlejohns said: “There is variation in current clinical practice, so this new NICE guideline means that for the first time we now have the means for a consistent national approach to managing low back pain.

Choice of therapies

“Importantly patients whose pain is not improving should have access to a choice of different therapies including acupuncture, structured exercise and manual therapy.”

The move was welcomed by the Prince’s Foundation for Integrated Health, which supports “proven complementary therapies”.

Medical director Michael Dixon said: “Now all patients will be able to access proven complementary treatments as well as orthodox medicine. That means real patient choice.

“Hopefully better outcomes in primary care will obviate the need for more costly technological interventions, which can then be saved for those who need them.”

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