Acupuncture is extremely safe - provided it is administered by a competent acupuncturist.
In a survey of 66,000 acupuncture treatments published in the British Medical Journal, no 'serious' side-effects were reported.1 2
There were a total of 43 'significant' events which included:
All symptoms cleared within a week, except for one patient who experienced pain that lasted for 2 weeks.
The most serious complication of acupuncture that I have personally experienced over 25 years of practicing is of one patient who fainted.
In a survey of 66,000 acupuncture treatments published in the British Medical Journal, no 'serious' side-effects were reported.1 2
There were a total of 43 'significant' events which included:
- 6 occurrences of fainting
- 5 needles left in patients after treatment
- 1 skin infection
- 2 patients who felt anxious or panicked
- 3 patients who felt sick or vomited
All symptoms cleared within a week, except for one patient who experienced pain that lasted for 2 weeks.
The most serious complication of acupuncture that I have personally experienced over 25 years of practicing is of one patient who fainted.
Is acupuncture safe?
Acupuncture is often used in painful conditions for which antiinflammatory painkillers (NSAIDs) such as Nurofen (ibuprofen) are used. If you bear in mind that these drugs cause over two and a half thousand deaths every year in the UK alone, then this demonstrates how exceptionally safe acupuncture is in competent hands.3
1. White A, Hayhoe S, Hart A, Ernst E. Adverse events following acupuncture: prospective survey of 32,000 consultations with doctors and physiotherapists. BMJ 2001; 323: 485-6.
2. MacPherson H, Thomas K, Walters S, Fitter M. The York acupuncture safety study: prospective survey of 34,000 treatment by traditional acupuncturists. BMJ 2001; 323: 486-7.
3. Bandoler. NSAIDs and adverse effects. http://www.medicine.ox.ac.uk/bandolier/booth/painpag/nsae/nsae.html#Heading11
1. White A, Hayhoe S, Hart A, Ernst E. Adverse events following acupuncture: prospective survey of 32,000 consultations with doctors and physiotherapists. BMJ 2001; 323: 485-6.
2. MacPherson H, Thomas K, Walters S, Fitter M. The York acupuncture safety study: prospective survey of 34,000 treatment by traditional acupuncturists. BMJ 2001; 323: 486-7.
3. Bandoler. NSAIDs and adverse effects. http://www.medicine.ox.ac.uk/bandolier/booth/painpag/nsae/nsae.html#Heading11
How does acupuncture compare on safety with other treatments?
The most common side-effects experienced by patients receiving acupuncture treatments are:
- Pain or discomfort on needle insertion
- Bleeding from the needle site - nearly always very mild and transient
- Worsening of symptoms - usually temporary and likely to be followed by an improvement
What about mild side-effects?
But surely sticking needles in people can cause serious problems?
Serious side-effects, and even deaths, have extremely rarely been reported after acupuncture. The most 'common', or perhaps I should say least rare, side-effects is that of a pneumothorax - or collapsed lung. However, these should never occur when being treated with an experienced acupuncturist with good anatomical knowledge. There have only ever been seven deaths anywhere in the world as a result of acupuncture. This may sound alarming but when one considers that billions of acupuncture treatments have been given over many many years, this is actually very reassuring.