Acupuncture is one of the safest medical treatments, both conventional and alternative, on offer in the UK.
Two surveys published in the British Medical Journal in 2001 evaluated ‘is acupuncture safe?’ They concluded that the risk of a serious adverse reaction to acupuncture is less than 1 in 10,000. This is far less than many orthodox medical treatments.
One survey was of traditional acupuncturists and the other of doctors who practise acupuncture. A total of 66,000 treatments were reviewed altogether, with only a handful of minor and transient side effects recorded.
A 2003 survey of 6,000 patients of acupuncture produced almost the same figures.
Very few side effects
There are very few side effects from acupuncture when practised by a fully qualified practitioner of traditional acupuncture. Any minor side effects that do occur, such as dizziness or bruising around needle points, are mild and self-correcting. Treatment from a properly trained and qualified practitioner is the best guarantee of safe and effective treatment.
