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Risks

Complications associated with acupuncture.

This page is under revision and will be updated with 2010-2012 links shortly.

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What's the harm in acupuncture?

Reports of people harmed by acupuncture.

Pneumothorax secondary to acupuncture therapy

Case Report . Chauffe, Ryan J. BS; Duskin, Ann L. BS, BA, Southern Medical Journal (November 2006)

Scarring moxibustion and religious scarification resulting in hepatitis C and hepatocellular carcinoma (Case Report)

Author: Bardia, Aditya ; Williamson, Eric E. ; Bauer, Brent A. Lancet (May 2006)

Paraplegia caused by spinal infection after acupuncture

Case report of a 64-year-old man with psoas abscesses, epidural abscess and spondylitis after acupuncture. Spinal Cord (April 2006)

An outbreak of post-acupuncture cutaneous infection due to Mycobacterium abscessus

The authors conclude: "We have identified a large outbreak of rapidly growing mycobacterial infection among patients who received acupuncture at a single Oriental medicine clinic. Physicians should suspect mycobacterial infections in patients with persistent cutaneous infections following acupuncture, and infection control education including hygienic practice, should be emphasized for Oriental medical doctors practicing acupuncture". BMC Infectious Diseases (January 2006)

Multiloculated pleural empyema following acupuncture

Infection (August 2005)

Rectus sheath hematoma after acupuncture

Journal of Emergency Medicine (July 2005)

Successful removal of migrated acupuncture needles in a patient with cardiac tamponade by means of intraoperative transesophageal echocardiographic assistance

Journal of Thoracic Cardiovascular Surgery (July 2005)

Cervical subdural empyema following acupuncture

Journal of Clinical Neuroscience (November 2004)

Acupuncturists insist that the treatment is entirely without risks. But how do we know until we test it?'

Article by Edzard Ernst which reaches the conclusion "Based on prospective studies of almost 200,000 consultations, we are now able to state for the first time in its long history that acupuncture is reasonably safe." The Guardian (2nd November 2004)

A cumulative review of the range and incidence of significant adverse events associated with acupuncture

Acupuncture in Medicine [Journal of the British Medical Acupuncture Society] (September 2004)

Intra-abdominal abscess after acupuncture

Report in Focus on Alternative and Complementary Therapies [FACT] (September 2004)

Accidents in acupuncture treatment: History and current state

"Nowadays, acupuncture therapy is being used in more than 140 countries, and acupuncture accidents due to improper application are increasing. Prevention of acupuncture accidents has become a global issue deserving of great attention." Zhang R, Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Xue Bao (July 2004)

Necrotising fasciitis: a life-threatening complication of acupuncture in a patient with diabetes mellitus

"Since many old diabetic patients with degenerative joint diseases may consider this mode of treatment, guidelines on cleanliness and sterility of this procedure should be developed and practiced." Singapore Medical Journal (April 2004) [pdf]

Case report of tension pneumothorax related to acupuncture

Acupunct Med. (March 2004)

Patient reports of adverse events associated with acupuncture treatment: a prospective national survey

Quality & Safety in Health Care (2004)

Is acupuncture a risk factor for hepatitis? Systematic review of epidemiological studies

Concludes that a modest association between hepatitis C and acupuncture has been reported in some countries. This emphasizes the importance of exclusively using disposable acupuncture needles. J. Gastroenterol Hepatol. (November 2003)

An autopsy case of bilateral tension pneumothorax after acupuncture

Leg. Med. (Tokyo) (September 2003)

Mycobacterium chelonae infaction with multiple cutaneous lesions after treatment with acupuncture

International Journal of Dermatology (August 2003)

Retroperitoneal Abscess Complicated by Acupuncture

Journal of the Korean Academy of Medical Sciences (2003) [pdf]

Localized argyria 20 years after embedding of acupuncture needles

European Journal of Dermatology (Nov-Dec 2002)

Relatively alcohol-resistant mycobacteria are emerging pathogens in patients receiving acupuncture treatment

"Mycobacterial infections transmitted by acupuncture are an emerging problem. A high index of suspicion is essential to recognize this clinical syndrome, and strict implementation of proper infection control guidelines for acupuncture is mandatory." Journal of Clinical Microbiology (April 2002)

Acupuncture-associated arthritis in a joint with an orthopaedic implant

Report of a rare case of intra-articular bacterial knee infection due to inadvertent acupuncture needle penetration. Journal of Infection (January 2002)

Prospective studies of the safety of acupuncture: a systematic review

Concludes that although the incidence of minor adverse events associated with acupuncture may be considerable, serious adverse events are rare. Those responsible for establishing competence in acupuncture should consider how to reduce these risks. E. Ernst and A. R. White, American Journal of Medicine (April 2001)