USATODAY.com - Fringe science no more

USA Today is doing a series of articles on pain and pain management. The article featured today looks at acupuncture. The reporter is Kathleen Fackelmann.

An excerpt:

Previous studies on acupuncture were small and inconclusive, but more recent research is shedding light on how well the technique works.

• An analysis of 22 studies showed that acupuncture relieved lower back pain when compared with no treatment or with "fake" acupuncture in which needles were inserted in the wrong places.

Many people in these studies still need painkillers, but acupuncture often provides them with an extra measure of comfort, according to the analysis published in the April 19 Annals of Internal Medicine.

The series title is "The Fight Against Pain". The above article features links to other articles and web resources.