Peripheral nerve field stimulation (PNFS) is a neuromodulation therapy which provides pain relief through electrical stimulation of the painful area at the lower back. Previous studies have shown that the use of PNFS is effective in reducing pain intensity and improving physical functioning.~Peripheral stimulation of acupuncture points (PSAP) is a novel therapeutic strategy which involves the combination of PNFS and acupuncture from traditional Chinese medicine. Through electrical stimulation of specific acupuncture points, synergistic effect and additional benefits such as relief of sciatica might be observed. As such, the intervention is of our interest in the study.~The study will involve 50 subjects. After signing the consent form, subjects will be randomly assigned to one of the two groups, either PSAP or PNFS.~For group PSAP, two electrode leads will be implanted and connected to an external neurostimulator for electrical stimulation of acupuncture points.~For group PNFS, two electrode leads will be implanted and connected to an external neurostimulator for electrical stimulation of the painful area.
For decades, chronic low back pain has been one of the major health complaints in Hong Kong. Without proper management, low back pain is associated with functional disability and decreased quality of life. However, currently, there is still no gold standard treatment for cure of the problem.