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
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 Jiang et al 2025.[1] Hugo Pinto demonstrating a protocol for rehabilitation of acute ankle injuries on a boat travelling up the Douro River from Porto. In the BMAS, we refer to this fondly as the 'BMAS Boat Trip'. It was oversubscribed and the day before the BMAS Autumn Scientific Meeting in September 2013. … Continue reading EA for AOA
Stimulated by Hoheisel et al 2025.[1] Top part of Figure 1 in Hoheisel et al 2025.[1] DRG – dorsal root ganglionFG – fluorogold or fluorochrome yellowc-fos – a protein from the Fos family widely used as a marker for neuronal activityc-fos-ir – c-fos immunoreactivityDH – dorsal horn (of the spinal cord)VLP – ventral posterolateral nucleus … Continue reading Muscle pain – a neuroanatomical basis
Stimulated by Lee et al 2023.[1] Photo by Jonny Goerend on Unsplash, with the cover of SJPAIN superimposed in the bottom right. PCP – post cholecystectomy painCABG – coronary artery bypass graftAMPS – abdominal myofascial pain syndromeTPI – trigger point injectionPRF – pulsed radiofrequencyUS – ultrasoundLA – local anaestheticNRS – numerical rating scaleEA – electroacupuncture … Continue reading Post cholecystectomy pain
Stimulated by a trip to Jaseng, Seoul, for their 4th annual academic conference, and a paper from the founder of Jaseng, published in Pain 10 years ago, Shin et al 2013.[1] MSAT – motion style acupuncture treatmentMSK – musculoskeletalcLBP – chronic low back painUS – ultrasoundTP – transverse processCAT – conventional acupuncture treatmentRCT – randomised … Continue reading MSAT for MSK pain
Inspired by Gupta et al 2022.[1] Anatomical diagram of the shoulder – anterior aspect (modified from Angelito7: Shoulder anatomy, front view) PRP – platelet rich plasmaRCT – randomised controlled (or comparative) trialRoM – range of movementSPADI – shoulder pain and disability indexMUA – manipulation under anaestheticLOA – lysis of adhesionsBMI – body mass index key … Continue reading PRP vs steroid in frozen shoulder
Stimulated by NG193.[1] Photo by Arno Smit on Unsplash. NICE – National Institute for Health & Care ExcellencecLBP – chronic low back painMSK – musculoskeletalGERAC – German acupuncture trials (large 3 arm trials with ~1000 patients in each)MCID – minimum clinical important differenceLA – local anaestheticCRPS – complex regional pain syndromeRFD – radiofrequency denervation. key … Continue reading Consider acupuncture for chronic pain
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