[Acupuncture-moxibustion analgesia: problems behind the hotspot]

Area of Science:

• Acupuncture and moxibustion analgesia research.
• Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) pain theory.
• Integrative medicine and pain management.

Context:

• Acupuncture-moxibustion analgesia is a globally applied therapy with extensive research.
• The 11th edition of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) reclassified acupuncture analgesia, presenting new opportunities and challenges.
• Current research and clinical applications face several limitations despite the field's popularity.

Purpose:

• To address the challenges and identify future directions for acupuncture-moxibustion analgesia.
• To promote advancements in the field through integrated theoretical, clinical, and basic research.
• To guide the development of acupuncture analgesia towards wider applications and improved efficacy.

Summary:

• Clarify the understanding of "pain" within TCM, using "activating qi to relieve pain" as a theoretical foundation.
• Expand clinical indications, refine application rules for different therapies, and improve the quality of clinical data.
• Focus basic research on solving clinical problems, exploring both analgesic and primary disease intervention mechanisms, and investigating central and peripheral mechanisms simultaneously.

Impact:

• Enhance the scope of application and therapeutic effects of acupuncture analgesia.
• Clarify the mechanisms of action and action regularities for greater scientific understanding.
• Foster collaboration among practitioners to build a robust evidence chain for acupuncture analgesia.
• Establish acupuncture analgesia as a leading evidence-based therapy for various diseases.