There is insufficient evidence to conclude whether acupuncture is effective or cost-effective for acute low back pain (LBP).
Acupuncture is more effective than no treatment and sham acupuncture in the short-term for pain relief in chronic LBP.
Adding acupuncture to usual care (or specific treatment) is more effective than usual care (or specific treatment) alone for chronic LBP.
Two economic evaluations suggest adding acupuncture to usual care is cost-effective compared to usual care alone for subacute and chronic LBP.
Evidence directly comparing the effectiveness of acupuncture to other therapies in chronic LPB is limited and evidence for their relative cost-effectiveness is lacking.