Acupuncture has been shown to be clinically effective in the treatment of lower back pain in a 2009 study that then was adopted in NICE guidelines. The treatment of back pain with acupuncture is usually quite straightforward. Success is often linked with changes in lifestyle and posture. Some guidelines for exercise will be given if needed. As a rule of thumb the length of treatment is very much connected with the length that the condition has been present for. Back conditions usually split into two types.
The first type may be thought of as a long term condition usually not of an excruciating pain level but as a long-term discomfort. The second type is a much more short-term condition and often is characterised by quite extreme levels of pain. Often the first type of back pain was present first, indicating that there was a long time weakness in the area... but this may very commonly give way to the second type. Treatment of this second type of back pain (=acute) usually will require quite extensive treatment with acupuncture, (actually this would also be the case for any kind of treatment for instance physiotherapy) commonly with treatments twice a week for at least four weeks, then this giving way to treatments on a weekly basis for a few weeks then spacing out to once a fortnight and then once a month. Recovery will be gradual but in an overall positive direction.
For serious back pain I recommend an 8 week series of treatment, available on the booking page. For symptoms like sciatica the rate and type of recovery is very similar to the above description. the first type of back pain is usually due to long-term tiredness and poor posture. Long periods of sitting and other sedentary activities will usually contribute to this issue. Treatment of this long-term back pain (= chronic) is best thought of as a long-term approach, with a few weekly treatments giving way to fortnightly then monthly treatment.