ReviewCell reports. Medicine2025
An update on non-pharmacological interventions for pain relief.
Review in Cell reports. Medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 47 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
47 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- The Effects of Guided Imagery on Women's Health: A Systematic Review of Experimental Studies.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2026Pooled it
- Comparative effectiveness of non-pharmacological interventions for depression and anxiety in chronic low back pain: a Bayesian network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Frontiers in public health · 2026Pooled it
- Functional brain alterations associated with acupuncture for chronic pain: a scoping review of fMRI studies.Frontiers in neuroscience · 2026Pooled it
- Effect of active mind-body movement therapies on older osteoarthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Frontiers in public health · 2025Pooled it
- Management of COPD and comorbidities in COPD patients by dispensing pharmaceutical care following Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease-guidelines (GOLD guidelines 2020): a prospective randomized clinical trial.BMC health services research · 2026Trial
- Efficacy and mechanism of supervised adapted physical activity on quality of life for patients with fibromyalgia: single-center, prospective, randomised clinical and neuroimaging study.Scientific reports · 2026Trial
- Effects of TENS with home exercise improve pain and muscle strength in older adults with pre-radiographic to mild knee osteoarthritis.Scientific reports · 2025Trial
- Feasibility of an ACT-based group intervention for Malaysian breast cancer survivors with chronic pain.Frontiers in psychology · 2025Trial
- Exploring the Role of a Noninvasive Audio-Based Therapeutic System for Pain and Symptom Relief: Single-Arm Exploratory Pilot Study.JMIR formative research · 2026Observational
- A Scoping Review of Pharmacologic and Nonpharmacologic Interventions to Treat Chronic Ocular Pain.Journal of neuro-ophthalmology : the official journal of the North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society · 2026Article
- Effectiveness of Digital Storytelling and Immersive Technology Interventions in Reducing Preoperative Anxiety Among Children: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.JMIR pediatrics and parenting · 2026Review
- The effect of exercise on clinical pain: a systematic umbrella review and meta-meta-analysis.Pain reports · 2026Article
- Review
- Targeting Microglia-Neuron Crosstalk to Regulate Neuronal Excitability: Novel Translational Approaches for Chronic Pain Intervention.International journal of molecular sciences · 2026Review
- Assessing the Safety and Efficacy of a Noninvasive Device in the Management of Musculoskeletal Pain Using Low-Level Light Therapy: Double-Blinded, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Multicentric Study.JMIR biomedical engineering · 2026Article
- Chronic Pain and Cognitive Dysfunction: Clinical Implement, Mechanism, and Therapeutic Strategy.The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience · 2026Review
- Microglial CR3-mediated synaptic pruning in the dmPFC promotes the generation and maintenance of chronic muscle pain via glutamatergic dysfunction.Experimental & molecular medicine · 2026Article
- Neuroimaging-Guided Insights into the Molecular and Network Mechanisms of Chronic Pain and Neuromodulation.International journal of molecular sciences · 2026Review
- Toward function-oriented, neuroscience-based spine care in older adults: a structured narrative review and translational synthesis.Frontiers in pain research (Lausanne, Switzerland) · 2026Review
- A Survey of Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviours of Canadian Family Physicians in Response to the Canadian Guideline on Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Non-cancer Pain.Canadian journal of pain = Revue canadienne de la douleur · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
Abstract
Chronic pain affects a substantial portion of the population, yet current treatments often fail to provide adequate relief. Non-pharmacological interventions, which target behaviors and brain processes underlying the experience of pain, hold promises in offering relief for people with chronic pain. This review consolidates the current knowledge concerning the efficacy of non-pharmacological interventions for chronic pain. We focus on psychological interventions (e.g., cognitive behavioral therapy-based interventions and emotion-based therapies) that use mental techniques and physical practices (e.g., exercise, massage, acupuncture, and yoga) that use body techniques to reduce pain. The efficacy of neuromodulation is also discussed. Given that placebo and expectation effects may enhance benefits for non-pharmacological interventions, we also discuss placebo interventions and expectation management practices. Finally, we describe digital therapeutics as an emerging approach for managing chronic pain. We argue that non-pharmacological interventions are critical adjunctive or stand-alone interventions for chronic pain conditions.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.