Alternative medicine

Some alternative and complementary medicine treatments might help ease chronic back pain. Examples include:

• Chiropractic. Spinal manipulation has been found to be moderately effective for low back pain that has lasted for at least a month. Rarely, chiropractic treatment of the neck can cause certain types of strokes.
• Acupuncture. Although results are usually modest, acupuncture appears to ease chronic back and neck pain.
• Massage. This hands-on therapy can provide short-term relief to people dealing with chronic low back pain.