Stimulated by Schlaeger et al 2026.[1] Acupuncture protocol for vulvodynia used in Schlaeger et al 2026,[1] and Schlaeger et al 2015.[2] RCT – randomised controlled trialIF – impact factorTYN – Takakura and Yajima needleMPQ – McGill pain questionnaire (computerised version)PINS – pain intensity number scale (0–10)API – average pain intensity (mean of current, least and … Continue reading Acupuncture for vulvodynia 2026
Category: Research commentaries
EA for PVCs post-MI 2025
Stimulated by Zhang et al 2025.[1] Visual abstract from Zhang et al 2025.[1] EA – electroacupuncturePVCs – premature ventricular complexesMI – myocardial infarctionIF – impact factorVF – ventricular fibrillationECG – electrocardiogramAAV – adeno-associated virusDREADD – designer receptor exclusively activated by designer drugM1L5 – lamina 5 of the primary motor cortexRVLM – rostral ventrolateral medullaZI – … Continue reading EA for PVCs post-MI 2025
Punctured lungs and eyeballs 2025
Stimulated by Reindorf et al and Song et al 2025.[1,2] Figure 1 from Reindorf et al 2025.[1] The red arrow is indicating a small right apical pneumothorax. According to the text of the case report, you are also supposed to be able to see the needle fragment, but they have not given us an arrow … Continue reading Punctured lungs and eyeballs 2025
EPNS for PPUI 2025
Stimulated by Li et al 2025.[1] Re-edited version of the image used in the Oliveira 2018,[2] illustrating the position of the needle placement described in the current paper. The gluteus maximus muscle and the sacrotuberous ligament are faded so that the deeper structures can be seen. This image has been modified from the version used … Continue reading EPNS for PPUI 2025
Pre-natal EA for MIA 2025
Stimulated by Zhang et al 2025.[1] Visual abstract from Zhang et al.[1] EA – electroacupunctureMIA – maternal immune activationIF – impact factorAPC – author processing chargeUSD – US dollarsPoly (I:C) – polyinosinic-polycytidylic acidRNA – ribose nucleic acidIL6 – interleukin 6 (a proinflammatory cytokine)MCP-1 – monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (a downstream chemokine of IL6)α7nAChR – the … Continue reading Pre-natal EA for MIA 2025
Brain topology turning points over the human lifespan
Stimulated by Mousley et al 2025.[1] IF – impact factorMR – magnetic resonanceDTI – diffusion tensor imaging3D – three dimensional2D – two dimensionalGMV – grey matter volumeWMV – white matter volumeTCV – total cerebral volume – key to acronyms I heard a news item on this research on BBC Radio 4 at the beginning of … Continue reading Brain topology turning points over the human lifespan
Pneumonia risk in stroke patients on PPIs
Stimulated by Wang et al 2025.[1] Photo by Robina on Unsplash. PPIs – proton pump inhibitorsIF – impact factorCDI – Clostridium difficile infectionSIBO – small intestinal bacterial overgrowthPD – Parkinson’s diseaseGERD – gastroesophageal reflex diseaseOR – odds ratio – key to acronyms I have come to quite like the large retrospective cohort studies that have been published in … Continue reading Pneumonia risk in stroke patients on PPIs
Needling necks and SCI 2025
Stimulated by Kim et al 2025.[1] SCI – spinal cord injury – key to acronym This paper was published in late August this year in the Korean Journal of Neurotrauma, but it has only just come up on my PubMed searches in the last week or so. It is not really extensive enough to devote … Continue reading Needling necks and SCI 2025
Acupuncture for PSD 3 2025
Stimulated by Li et al 2025.[1] Part of one figure from Yao et al 2023.[2] PSD – post-stroke dysphagiaIF – impact factorWST – water swallowing test (30mls of warm water) – key to acronyms This is the third paper on PSD I have highlighted this year. It is a cohort study from China, which is … Continue reading Acupuncture for PSD 3 2025
EDN in OAK 2025
Stimulated by Dunning et al 2025.[1] Figure 1 from the paper... or you wouldn't have believed me. EDN – electrical dry needlingOAK – OA kneeOA – osteoarthritisIF – impact factorPEDN – periosteal electrical dry needlingPIEDN – periosteal and intra-articular electrical dry needlingEA – electroacupunctureWMA – Western medical acupunctureTENS – transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulationSAE – serious … Continue reading EDN in OAK 2025










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