Table 2.
Details of acupuncture treatment methods.
| Study (reference) |
Depth of insertion | Deqi | Needle stimulation | Needle retention time | Number of treatment sessions | Frequency of treatment | Duration of treatment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allam et al. 2008 [25] |
0.5–1 cun∗ | O | Rapid manual stimulation upon insertion and removal of the needles | 20 min | NR | Twice per week | 9 months |
| Chen et al. 2014 [26] |
NR+ | NR | Han's acupoint nerve stimulator | 30 min | NR | 5 times per week | 2 months |
| Fan and Li 2016 [27] |
NR | NR | Twirling every 30 min | Head: 1 h, others: 30 min |
20 | 5 times per week | NR |
| Gao 2015 [28] |
NR | NR | Twirling every 5 min | 45 min | NR | 6 times per week | 20 weeks |
| He 2006 [29] |
NR | NR | Electrical stimulation (10 V, wave of rarefaction) | NR | 24 | 3 times per week | 8 weeks |
| Li and Liu 2011 [30] | 0.5–1 cun | NR | Electrical stimulation (1.25 Hz, wave of condensation and rarefaction, 15 min), twirling | 2–4 h | 60 | 6 times per week | NR |
| Li et al. 2011 [31] | NR | NR | Twirling, lifting, thrusting | No retention | NR | 1–5 times per week | 6 weeks |
| Li et al. 2015 [32] |
NR | NR | Twirling every 10 min | 30 min | NR | 6 times per week | 3 months |
| Liao 2016 [33] |
10–15 mm | NR | Twirling every 30 min | 3-4 h | NR | NR | NR |
| Liu and Yuan 2007 [34] |
Head: 0.5–0.8 cun, tongue, limbs: 0.2–0.8 cun | NR | Twirling every 10 min | 30 min | 72 | 6 times per week | 12 weeks |
| J. G. Sun and X. R. Sun 2014 [35] |
NR | NR | Electrical and thermal stimulation | 20 min | NR | 3 times per day | 2 months |
| Tang et al. 2013 [36] |
10–15 mm | NR | Twirling | 6–8 h | NR | 6 times per week | 25 weeks |
| Wang et al. 2006 [37] |
GV20, EX-HN1: 0.5–0.8 cun | O | Electrical stimulation (1.25 Hz, wave of condensation and rarefaction) | 50 min | NR | 5 times per week | 4 months |
| Wang et al. 2007 [38] |
GV20: 15–20 mm, EX-HN1: 1.5–20 mm | O | Electrical stimulation (75 Hz) | 50 min | NR | 5 times per week | 4 months |
| Wang et al. 2015 [39] |
NR | NR | Twirling | Head: 1 h, limbs: 30 min | 20 | 5 times per week | NR |
| Wong 2008a [40] | GV20, EX-HN3, HT7, SP6: 13–25 mm, AT3: 5–10 mm | O | Electrical stimulation (25–75 Hz, continuous wave) | 30 min | 24 | 3 times per week | 8 weeks |
| Wong and Chen 2010 [41] |
NR | NR | Electrical stimulation | 30 min | 12 | 3 times per week | 4 weeks |
| Wong and Sun 2010 [42] |
Runze: 1 cm, Guanzhu: 0.3 cm, Tianmen: 0.5–1 cm, Diyou: 0.5 cm | NR | Quick and accurate insertion into acupoints | <15 s | 40 | 5 times per week | 8 weeks |
| Wong et al. 2014 [43] |
Runze: 1 cm, Guanzhu: 0.3 cm, Tianmen: 0.5–1 cm, Diyou: 0.5 cm | NR | Quick and accurate insertion into acupoints | <15 s | 40 | 5 times per week | 8 weeks |
| Wu 2015 [44] |
NR | NR | NR | NR | 120 | 6 times per week | NR |
| Xiong 2014 [45] |
10–15 mm | NR | Twirling every 1 h | 6–8 h | NR | NR | NR |
| Yang 2012 [46] |
Trunk: 0.1–0.3 cun, head: 0.5–0.8 cun | NR | Twirling every 20 min | 60 min, trunk: no retention | 120 | 5 times per week | NR |
| Zeng et al. 2014 [47] |
NR | NR | Twirling every 15 min | 1 h | 120 | 5 times per week | 6 months |
| Zeng et al. 2016 [48] |
Head: 15–20 mm, tongue, limbs: 5–15 mm |
O | Twirling every 15 min | 1 h | 120 | 5 times per week | 6 months |
| Zhao et al. 2015 [49] |
25 mm | NR | Electrical stimulation (1–100 Hz, continuous wave, ≤50 mA, 30 min) | 2 h | NR | 6 times per week | 3 months |
| Zhao et al. 2015 [50] |
1–1.5 cun | NR | Twirling 200 times per min for 2-3 min | Scalp: 1 h, others: no retention | NR | 6 times per week | 3 months |
| Zhen and Jin 2016 [51] |
NR | NR | Lifting and thrusting | 30 min | NR | 5 times per week | 3 months |
∗1 cun = 3.0303030 cm; +NR: not recorded. aCrossover trial. The rest are parallel studies.