First author (year) Acupuncture rationale Details of needling Practitioner background Acupuncture points ES frequency, Duration De-qi Depth of insertion Needle type (diameter/length) Li [75 ] (2015) TCM EX-LE5, SP10, ST36, ST34, GB34, SP9, Ashi point EA points: 4 points among above acupoints (n.r.) 20 Hz, 30 min Elicited n.r. n.r./50.0 mm n.r. Wu [76 ] (2015) TCM EX-LE5 EA points: all acupoints 40 Hz, 45~60 min n.r. 33.3 mm n.r./50.0 mm n.r. Ying [39 ] (2015) TCM ST35, EX-LE4, EX-LE2, SP10, ST36, GB34, SP9, BL40 EA points: all acupoints n.r., 30 min Elicited 25.4~38.1 mm 0.30 mm/40 mm n.r. Huang [40 ] (2014) TCM Ashi point, ST35, EX-LE4, SP10, EX-LE2, SP6, SP9, ST36, LR3 EA points: 4 points among above acupoints (n.r.) 15 Hz, 30 min Elicited 15~20 mm 0.35 mm/25 mm n.r. Li [41 ] (2014) TCM ST35, EX-LE4, GB34, SP9, GB33, ST34, SP10, Ashi point EA points: ST35, EX-LE4, GB34, SP9, GB33, Ashi point 2 Hz, 30 min Elicited 25~40 mm 0.35 mm/40 or 50 mm n.r. Plaster [26 ] (2014) TCM according to previous study [31 ] LI4, LR3, ST36, ST35, EX-LE5, SP10 EA points: all acupoints 3 Hz and 100 Hz (alternate), 30 min n.r. 5 mm 0.25 mm/30 mm n.r. Ruan [77 ] (2014) TCM EX-LE4, SP9, LR8, SP10, ST35, ST36, GB33, ST34, EX-LE2, ST32, Ashi point EA points: SP9, SP10, ST36, ST34, EX-LE2, ST32 n.r., 30 min Elicited 33.3~5.0 mm 0.30 mm/50 mm n.r. Ruan [42 ] (2014) TCM ST34, SP10, GB34, ST36, SP9, GB39, Ashi point EA points: all acupoints n.r., 30 min Elicited n.r. n.r./50.0 mm n.r. Fu [43 ] (2013) TCM EX-LE5, SP9, GB34, BL40, EX-LE2 Individualized acupoints: BL23, CV3, SP10, BL57, BL23, BL25, ST36, SP6, BL23, KI3, SP8, ST40 EA points: EX-LE5, SP9, GB34 n.r., 30 min Elicited n.r. 0.35 mm/50~60 mm n.r. Zhao [44 ] (2013) TCM CV8, EX-LE5, SP10, ST34 EA points: SP10, EX-LE5, ST34 n.r., 30 min Elicited n.r. 0.25 mm/40~70 mm n.r. Zhu [45 ] (2013) TCM Xian, GB34, SP9, ST36, Ashi point EA points: Xian 2 Hz and 100 Hz (alternate), 20 min Elicited n.r. 0.25 mm/40 mm n.r. Che [78 ] (2012) TCM, western medical EX-LE4, ST35 EA points: all acupoints 2 Hz, 45 min Elicited 60 mm 0.45 mm/75 mm n.r. Li [46 ] (2012) TCM EX-LE5, Ashi point, ST34, SP10, GB34, SP9, ST36, GB39 Proximal acupuncture points: EX-LE5, Ashi point EA points: EX-LE5 n.r., 30 min Elicited 33.3 mm 0.25 mm/40 mm n.r. Mavrommatis [27 ] (2012) TCM ST36, SP9, SP10, GB34, Ex-LE 2, Ex-LE5, LI4, KI3, ST40, SP6 EA points: ST36, SP9, GB34, SP10 2 Hz~6 Hz, 20 min Elicited n.r. 0.25 mm/30 mm Doctor specializing in acupuncture Teng [47 ] (2012) TMC ST35, EX-LE4, EX-LE2, SP10, ST36, GB34 EA points: all acupoints n.r., 30 min Elicited 25.4~38.1 mm 0.30 mm/40 mm n.r. Ji [79 ] (2011) TMC ST35, EX-LE4, GB33, BL40, ST36, GB34, GB39 Individualized acupoints: SP10, BL17, BL23, CV4, SP9, SP6, BL11, BL23 EA points: ST35, EX-LE4 40 Hz~60 Hz, 30 min Elicited n.r. 0.30 mm/40 mm n.r. Meng [28 ] (2011) n.r. n.r. n.r. n.r. n.r. n.r. n.r. Lu [29 ] (2010) TCM GB34, SP9, SP10, SP34, ST36 EA points: all acupoints 2 Hz, 30 min Elicited 10~15 mm n.r. Experienced acupuncturist Wu [80 ]. (2010) TCM, western medical EX-LE5, SP10, ST34 EA points: all acupoints n.r., 30 min Elicited 26.7~40.0 mm 0.35 mm/50 mm n.r. Ahsin [30 ] (2009) TCM ST34, ST35, ST36, LR8, SP10, ST44 EA points: all acupoints 3 Hz, 20~25 min Elicited 10~30 mm n.r./30 mm Qualified acupuncturist Hou [48 ] (2008) TCM ST35, EX-LE2, ST34, GB34, SP9 EA points: all acupoints 3 Hz, 30 min Elicited n.r. 0.30 mm/50 mm n.r. Jubb [31 ] (2008) TCM LI4, SP10, EX-LE5, SP9, GB34, ST36, LR3, BL40, BL57 EA points: EX-LE5, SP9, GB34, BL40 BL57 6 Hz, 20 min Elicited 10~15 mm 0.25 mm/30 mm Acupuncturist Wu [49 ] (2008) TCM EX-LE5, EX-LE2, SP10, SP11, ST34, ST36, SP9 EA points: EX-LE5, SP10, SP11 n.r., 20 min Elicited n.r. n.r./n.r. n.r. Qiu [53 ] (2006) TCM, western medical EX-LE5 EA points: all acupoints 2 Hz and 100 Hz (alternate), 30 min Elicited 5.1~6.4 mm 0.45 mm/75 mm n.r. Berman [32 ] (2004) TCM GB34, SP9, ST36, ST35, EX-LE5, UB60, GB39, SP6, KI3 EA points: EX-LE5 8 Hz, 20 min Elicited 7.6~25.4 mm 0.25 mm/38.1 or 25.4 mm State-licensed acupuncturists who have at least 2 years of clinical experience Tukmachi [33 ] (2004) TCM LI4, SP10, EX-LE5, SP9, GB34, ST36, LR3, BL40, BL57 EA points: EX-LE5, SP9, GB34, BL40, BL57 6 Hz, 20 min Elicited 10~15 mm 0.25 mm/30 mm Acupuncturist Vas [34 ] (2004) TCM GB34, SP9, Xian, ST36, LI4 Individualized acupoints: KI3, SP6, ST40 EA points: GB34, SP9, Xian, ST36 2 Hz and 15 Hz (alternate), 20 min Elicited n.r. 0.25 mm/45 mm Doctor specializing in acupuncture† Ng [35 ] (2003) TCM according to previous study [81 ] ST35, EX-LE4 EA points: all acupoints 2 Hz, 20 min Elicited 10~15 mm 0.25 mm/40 mm n.r. Sangdee [36 ] (2002) TCM ST35, EX-LE4, LR8, Trigger point (at the level of the joint line, midpoint between EX-LE4 and LR8) EA points: all acupoints 2 Hz, 20 min Not intended Superficially (under 12.7 mm) n.r. Acupuncturist who received acupuncture training in the People’s Republic of China Berman [37 ] (1999) TCM GB34, SP9, ST36, ST35, EX-LE5, UB60, GB39, SP6, KI3 EA points: ST35, EX-LE5 2.5 Hz~4 Hz, 20 min Elicited 10.2–15.2 mm 0.22 mm/25.4 mm n.r. Yurtkuran [38 ] (1999) TCM SP9, GB34, ST34, ST35 EA points: all acupoints 4 Hz, 20 min n.r. 12.7–25.4 mm 0.25 mm/40 mm n.r.