Stimulated by Rees et al 2025.[1] IF – impact factorHIS – international headache societydoi – digital object identifierTCC – trigeminocervical complex – key to acronyms This narrative review in Cephalalgia (IF 4.6) caught my eye because the title describes a clinical conundrum I have wrestled with for most of my career. That is whether or … Continue reading Neck pain in migraine 2025
Inspired by Cao et al 2025.[1] Photo by Anton Nikolov on Unsplash. ARC – acute renal colicRCT – randomised controlled trialIF – impact factorIM – intramuscularUTI – urinary tract infectionVAS – visual analogue score (usually 10cm horizontal line with no pain or worst pain at each end)NRS – numerical rating scale (11-point digital verbal scale from 0 to … Continue reading Acupuncture for ARC 2025
Inspired by Gu et al 2025.[1] Photo by 东旭 王 on Unsplash. TENS – transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulationTEAS – transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulationSW-CRT – stepped wedge cluster randomised trialLDU – labour and delivery unitCEQ – childbirth experience questionnaire – key to acronyms This is a large trial from Shanghai evaluating two non-pharmacological approaches to treating … Continue reading Acupressure plus TENS in labour
Inspired by Daneffel et al 2025.[1] Consistent ARF following EA at 12mA for 30 minutes. ARF – axon reflex flareMSK – musculoskeletalEA – electroacupunctureR – rectangular square waveHS – half-sine waveCSI – closed-state inactivation – ket to acronyms I am not sure how this paper ended up in my search results, but it captured my … Continue reading Silent C–nociceptors and ARF
Stimulated by Steen et al 2025.[1] MPS – myofascial pain syndrome(s)PM&R – physical medicine and rehabilitationMSK – musculoskeletalLS – lumbosacralIF – impact factorTPI – trigger point injectionLA – local anaestheticDN – dry needlingSR – systematic reviewRCT – randomised controlled trialLTR – local twitch responseIMS – intramuscular stimulation – key to acronyms Review papers on MPS … Continue reading MPS 2025
Inspired by Titiz et al 2024.[1] AI generated image. SCs – Schwann cellsIF – impact factorAMA – abdominal mechanical allodyniaPMA – periorbital mechanical allodyniaHMA – hind paw mechanical allodyniaC5a – a small soluble pro-inflammatory peptide that functions as an anaphylatoxinDAMPs – damage-associated molecular patternsC5aR1 – C5a receptor 1GPCR – G protein-coupled receptorNLRP1 – NOD-like receptor … Continue reading SCs in endometriosis pain 2024
Stimulated by Eucker et al 2024.[1] Photo by Charles Givens on Unsplash. ED – emergency departmentNC – North CarolinaIF – impact factorRCT – randomised controlled trialMSK – musculoskeletalBFA – battlefield acupunctureASP – Aiguille d’acupuncture Semi-PermanenteNRS – numerical rating scaleMCID – minimal clinically important differenceLBP – low back painEA – electroacupuncture – key to acronyms This … Continue reading Acupuncture in the ED 2024
Inspired by Huang et al 2023.[1] This Figure is taken from the published protocol.[2] EA – electroacupunctureTKA – total knee arthroplastyRCT – randomised controlled trialVAS – visual analogue scorePCA – patient-controlled analgesiaMSK – musculoskeletalSD – standard deviationCI – confidence intervalMCID – minimum important clinical difference key to acronyms This is a paper that we (Acupuncture … Continue reading EA post-TKA 2024
Stimulated by Albert et al 2023.[1] Photo by Neonbrand on Unsplash. PID – prolapsed intervertebral discLBP – low back painNSAIDs – non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugsSD – standard deviation key to acronyms This paper was published online in mid-December, but I could not access the full text. I wrote to the first author, Hanne Albert, and she kindly sent me … Continue reading PID resorption 2024
Stimulated by Krecké et al 2023.[1] Mike receiving a thermal pain stimulus to his ventral forearm under the watchful eye of colleagues in Greifswald (2023). HRV – heart rate variabilityCCK – cholecystokinin key to acronyms I have always been intrigued by placebo and nocebo effects as well as the more subtle differences between men and … Continue reading HRV predicts placebo response in men
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