Fu's Subcutaneous Needling for Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Area of Science:

• Pain Management
• Integrative Medicine
• Clinical Research

Background:

• Chronic pain affects millions globally, necessitating effective non-pharmacological treatments.
• Fu's subcutaneous needling (FSN) is an emerging technique for pain relief.
• Evidence-based validation is crucial for integrating FSN into clinical practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of Fu's subcutaneous needling (FSN) for pain management.
• To synthesize evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs).
• To inform clinical practice and guide future research in pain management.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive literature search was performed across major databases (PubMed, Embase, Scopus, etc.) up to May 15, 2025.
• Included RCTs compared FSN with control interventions in adult pain populations.
• Study quality was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool, and meta-analysis was conducted using RevMan 5.4.

Main Results:

• Eight RCTs involving 519 participants were analyzed.
• FSN demonstrated significant pain reduction compared to controls (MD = -1.14, P < 0.001) on the Visual Analog Scale.
• Improvements were noted in functional outcomes, including Oswestry Disability Index, range of motion, Lysholm score, and SF-36 scores, with mild, transient adverse events.

Conclusions:

• Fu's subcutaneous needling is a safe and effective intervention for pain management.
• FSN offers superior pain reduction and functional improvement compared to other non-pharmacological methods.
• Further multicenter RCTs with standardized protocols and longer follow-up are recommended to confirm long-term efficacy.