Sedation of active acupuncture loci in the management of low back pain

From 1971 to 1973 twenty-three consecutive patients with low back pain of undetermined etiology and two patients with arachnoiditis were treated by the sedation of active acupuncture loci located in the low back area. Sedation was accomplished by means of one to six injections of one-half milliliter of a local anesthetic at weekly intervals. Nineteen patients obtained complete relief and four patients were improved. The two patients with arachnoiditis showed no improvement.