Is acupuncture safe?
Experts say acupuncture is extremely safe when performed by properly trained professionals, but there are some risks. To find out how to minimize them, watch this video with licensed acupuncturist and oriental medicine practitioner Dr. Henry McCann.
Transcript
There are some very rare side effects that can include, for example, puncturing of lungs.
But this is exceedingly uncommon, exceedingly rare, especially when done by a trained professional.
Acupuncture is a relatively safe therapy. There have been, actually, safety studies done in the last 5 to 10 years.
And most of them show that acupuncture, especially compared to many conventional therapies, is extraordinarily safe.
On occasion, people may notice some transient discomfort while the needles are in place or afterwards.
Some other common side effects include bruising at the site. This is especially the case for patients who are on anticoagulant or blood-thinning therapies
such as medications like warfarin. These patients will definitely tend to bruise more commonly.
Some patients will experience a little bit of dizziness after a treatment, although, even these side effects are relatively-- relatively uncommon.
There are some very rare side effects that can include, for example, puncturing of lungs.
But this is exceedingly uncommon, exceedingly rare, especially when done by a trained professional.
The most important thing to remember is that acupuncture is a licensed profession in most states and that patients who want acupuncture therapy
should make sure that their practitioner has a current unencumbered license from their state medical board.
alternative medicine
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