Acupuncture for acute back pain has not been well studied, and although about 10 RCTs have evaluated the use of acupuncture for chronic back pain, its value remains in question. Recent studies suggest that acupuncture is more effective than no treatment or sham treatment, is as effective as other medical interventions of questionable value (for example, TENS and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for chronic back pain), but is less effective than massage.