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Three Part Question

[In patients presenting with simple acute low back pain] is [acupuncture better than placebo] at [reducing pain and speeding a return to normal function]

Clinical Scenario

A 35 year old man presents to the emergency department with acute back pain sustained whilst lifting a heavy box. He complains of low lumbar spine pain. There are no neurological symptoms or signs and no "red flags" to indicate a potentially serious cause of his back pain. You diagnose a simple acute low back strain and advise analgesia and mobilisation. He tells you that he knows a local acupuncturist who could see him for acupuncture but wonders if it is worth spending the money. He asks if you are aware of any evidence for it's effectiveness.

Search Strategy

MEDLINE using the OVID interface on ATHENS
AMED using the OVID interface on ATHENS
Cochrane database of systematic reviews via NelH
Medline: [back pain.mp. or exp Back Pain/ or exp Low Back Pain/ or lumbar pain.mp.] and [exp ACUPUNCTURE/ or acupuncture.mp.] and [acute.af.] limit to (humans and english language and abstracts)
AMED and CinAhl: [back pain.mp. or exp Back Pain/ or exp Low Back Pain/ or lumbar pain.mp.] and [exp ACUPUNCTURE/ or acupuncture.mp.] and [acute.af.]
Cochrane: acupuncture back pain