Search strategy used in PubMed
| Number | Search terms |
| 1 | Randomised controlled trial.pt |
| 2 | Controlled clinical trial.pt |
| 3 | Randomised.ti,ab |
| 4 | Randomly.ti,ab |
| 5 | Placebo.ti,ab |
| 6 | Sham.ti,ab |
| 7 | Trial.ti,ab |
| 8 | Groups.ti,ab |
| 9 | 1 or 2–8 |
| 10 | Acupuncture therapy. Mesh. |
| 11 | Acupuncture.ti,ab |
| 12 | Acupoints.ti,ab |
| 13 | Body acupuncture.ti,ab |
| 14 | Scalp acupuncture.ti,ab |
| 15 | manual acupuncture.ti,ab |
| 16 | Auricular acupuncture.ti,ab |
| 17 | ear acupuncture.ti,ab |
| 18 | Electroacupuncture.ti,ab |
| 19 | Fire needling.ti,ab |
| 20 | dermal needle.ti,ab |
| 21 | plum blossom needle.ti,ab |
| 22 | Pyonex.ti,ab |
| 23 | Abdominal acupuncture.ti,ab |
| 24 | Filiform steel needle.ti,ab |
| 25 | 10 or 11–24 |
| 26 | Pruritus.Mesh |
| 27 | Chronic pruritus.ti,ab |
| 28 | itch.ti,ab |
| 29 | itching.ti,ab |
| 30 | Chronic itch.ti,ab |
| 31 | 26 or 27–30 |
| 32 | 9 and 25 and 31 |