articleThe Brief A new study found that acupuncture treatment for older adults with chronic back pain could notably help their pain levels and the disability often caused by it. According to the NIH, chronic low back pain is the leading cause of disability worldwide and affects more than a third of older adults in the United States. Researchers looked at whether manual acupuncture needling, which is covered by Medicare, could improve function and reduce pain for older adults with chronic or persistent low back pain. Researchers also reported that the older adults who got acupuncture treatment had less anxiety than those who got standard medical care. What they're saying:"Of the different treatments we have for chronic low back pain, most have a somewhat modest effect.