TABLE 1.
CENTRAL: Search strategy.
| Query | Search terms | Results | Date |
| #1 | MeSH descriptor: [neuralgia, postherpetic] explode all trees | 306 | December 7, 2022 |
| #2 | (Postherpetic neuralgia): ti, ab, kw | 1,145 | December 7, 2022 |
| #3 | (Postherpetic pain):ti, ab, kw | 279 | December 7, 2022 |
| #4 | #1 OR #2 OR #3 | 1,189 | December 7, 2022 |
| #5 | MeSH descriptor: [acupuncture analgesia] explode all trees | 302 | December 7, 2022 |
| #6 | MeSH descriptor: [acupuncture Therapy] explode all trees | 5,393 | December 7, 2022 |
| #7 | MeSH descriptor: [acupuncture] explode all trees | 167 | December 7, 2022 |
| #8 | MeSH descriptor: [acupuncture, ear] explode all trees | 222 | December 7, 2022 |
| #9 | MeSH descriptor: [electroacupuncture] explode all trees | 900 | December 7, 2022 |
| #10 | MeSH descriptor: [moxibustion] explode all trees | 531 | December 7, 2022 |
| #11 | (Acupuncture analgesia): ti, ab, kw | 1,211 | December 7, 2022 |
| #12 | (Acupuncture therapy): ti, ab, kw | 9,588 | December 7, 2022 |
| #13 | (Acupuncture): ti, ab, kw | 17,576 | December 7, 2022 |
| #14 | (Manual acupuncture): ti, ab, kw | 665 | December 7, 2022 |
| #15 | (Surrounding acupuncture): ti, ab, kw | 63 | December 7, 2022 |
| #16 | (Surrounding needling): ti, ab, kw | 28 | December 7, 2022 |
| #17 | (Auricular acupuncture): ti, ab, kw | 861 | December 7, 2022 |
| #18 | (Ear acupuncture): ti, ab, kw | 751 | December 7, 2022 |
| #19 | (Electroacupuncture): ti, ab, kw | 3,118 | December 7, 2022 |
| #20 | (Electro-acupuncture): ti, ab, kw | 663 | December 7, 2022 |
| #21 | (Fire needling): ti, ab, kw | 57 | December 7, 2022 |
| #22 | (Warm needling): ti, ab, kw | 114 | December 7, 2022 |
| #23 | (Fire needle): ti, ab, kw | 133 | December 7, 2022 |
| #24 | (Warm needle): ti, ab, kw | 137 | December 7, 2022 |
| #25 | (Moxibustion): ti, ab, kw | 2,238 | December 7, 2022 |
| #26 | (Thermal moxibustion): ti, ab, kw | 43 | December 7, 2022 |
| #27 | (Medicated thread moxibustion): ti, ab, kw | 13 | December 7, 2022 |
| #28 | (Pricking and cupping): ti, ab, kw | 69 | December 7, 2022 |
| #29 | (Pricking blood and cupping): ti, ab, kw | 21 | December 7, 2022 |
| #30 | (Blood-letting puncture and cupping): ti, ab, kw | 26 | December 7, 2022 |
| #31 | (Fu’s subcutaneous needling): ti, ab, kw | 35 | December 7, 2022 |
| #32 | (Fu’s acupuncture): ti, ab, kw | 52 | December 7, 2022 |
| #33 | (Acupoint catgut embedding): ti, ab, kw | 158 | December 7, 2022 |
| #34 | (Catgut embedding): ti, ab, kw | 203 | December 7, 2022 |
| #35 | (Dry needling): ti, ab, kw | 931 | December 7, 2022 |
| #36 | (Dry needle): ti, ab, kw | 421 | December 7, 2022 |
| #37 | (Laser acupuncture): ti, ab, kw | 675 | December 7, 2022 |
| #38 | #5 OR #6 OR #7 OR #8 OR #9 OR #10 OR #11 OR #12 OR #13 OR #14 OR #15 OR #16 OR #17 OR #18 OR #19 OR #20 OR #21 OR #22 OR #23 OR #24 OR #25 OR #26 OR #27 OR #28 OR #29 OR #30 OR #31 OR #32 OR #33 OR #34 OR #35 OR #36 OR #37 | 20,699 | December 7, 2022 |
| #39 | #4 AND #38 (in trials) | 81 | December 7, 2022 |
ti, title; ab, abstract; kw, keywords.