Understanding Acupoint Sensitization: A Narrative Review on Phenomena, Potential Mechanism, and Clinical Application

Table 1

Inclusion and exclusion criteria of acupoint sensitization studies.

	Inclusion criteria	Exclusion criteria
The phenomena and mechanism of acupoint sensitization	(1) Original research on manifestation or mechanism of acupoint sensitization	(1) Duplicated publications
	(2) Comparing sensitized acupoints with nonsensitized ones on thresholds, biophysical properties, receptive field, morphology	(2) Reviews, letters, comments, editorials, news
	(3) No restriction on study population and language	(3) Research on acupoints in nonpathological condition
The effect of stimulating sensitized points	(1) Original research on clinical effect of acupoint sensitization	(1) Duplicated publications
	(2) Intervention group was stimulation of sensitized acupoints	(2) No controlled group
	(3) Comparison was routine acupuncture or moxibustion	(3) Research on acupoints in nonpathological condition
	(4) Systematic review or controlled trial
	(5) No restriction on study population, outcome, language