# Management of Chronic Low Back Pain in Older Adults Using Auricular Point Acupressure

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HLTH SCI CTR HOUSTON · 2022 · $462,721

## Abstract

Chronic low back pain (cLBP) is the most common pain condition diagnosed in patients 65 years or older in the
United States. While new interventions are being developed, they often cost more, require additional diagnostic
tests, and increase visits to health care providers (HCP). Older adults often have additional health care issues
and need more assistance to access HCP, which delays treatment and further increases cost. Analgesics are
often prescribed, yet they can be costly and have particularly troublesome side effects in this already vulnerable
population. Auricular point acupressure (APA) applies an acupuncture-like stimulation to ear acupoints without
using a needle (i.e., seeds are taped to the acupoints) to treat illness/symptoms. APA is particularly well-suited
for current challenges of unmet cLBP management. We propose a randomized controlled trial to (1) determine
the efficacy of APA in relieving cLBP and (2) examine the physiologic mechanisms of the APA effect on cLBP.
We will determine the efficacy of a 4-week APA therapy for adults 65 years or older with cLBP. Guided by the
NIH Pain Consortium Research Task Force, the standardized research approach on cLBP will be used to
measure the study outcomes (i.e., pain intensity, pain interference and physical function). We will also measure
psychological, behavioral, personal and social factors that may moderate or mediate the effects of APA. We also
believe inflammatory cytokines may partially explain the mechanism of action of APA for pain relief and improved
back-specific physical function and plan to measure these. This study will identify a novel approach to manage
cLBP in older adults, which is an innovative, non-invasive, low-cost, self-manageable, non-pharmacological
approach as an adjunctive therapy for cLBP, with minimal side effects. If successful, the paradigm of pain
management will shift from a traditional medical model to a larger integrative medicine and self-management
paradigm to avoid unnecessary evolution towards prolonged disability.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10615985
- **Project number:** 7R01AG056587-05
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HLTH SCI CTR HOUSTON
- **Principal Investigator:** Constance Margaret Johnson
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $462,721
- **Award type:** 7
- **Project period:** 2018-08-01 → 2025-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10615985

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10615985, Management of Chronic Low Back Pain in Older Adults Using Auricular Point Acupressure (7R01AG056587-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10615985. Licensed CC0.

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