It's a very sensible thing to ask before anyone puts needles in you. The good news is that acupuncture safety has been studied on a large scale in the UK, and the picture is reassuring when treatment comes from a trained practitioner. Let me walk you through what the research found, the side effects to expect, and what to mention before your first session.
A large UK study from 2001
In September 2001 the BMJ published a large survey that asked traditional acupuncturists to record every problem they saw over a set period, rather than relying on scattered case reports.
The York acupuncture safety study (MacPherson and colleagues) invited every British Acupuncture Council member practising in the UK to take part for four weeks. In all, 574 practitioners reported on 34,407 treatments. There were no serious adverse events. There were 43 minor ones, a rate of 1.3 per 1,000 treatments, the most common being severe nausea and fainting, and three of these were judged to be avoidable practitioner errors.
The researchers also counted "mild transient reactions", which followed about 15% of treatments. These included local bruising, pain and bleeding where the needles went in. Some reactions people often see as positive were recorded too, such as feeling relaxed.
No study can rule out very rare problems entirely. On the York team's statistics, the likely rate of serious adverse events sits somewhere between zero and 1.1 per 10,000 treatments.
Common, minor side effects
Possible side effects include:
- feeling drowsy after treatment
- a small amount of bleeding or bruising
- mild pain during and after treatment
- a temporary increase in your symptoms
- feeling faint or dizzy
Occasionally people feel dizzy or tired after a treatment, "but this passes quickly", as the British Acupuncture Council (BAcC) puts it. The BAcC also asks you to let your acupuncturist know if you feel hot, the room is stuffy, or you're hungry or thirsty, so do tell me if any of those apply.
What to tell me first
Acupuncture may not be safe for you if you take blood-thinning medicine or are at increased risk of bleeding, or if you have a skin condition or skin infection. Please also tell me if you:
- have haemophilia or another bleeding problem
- take an anticoagulant medicine to help prevent blood clots
- are pregnant or trying to become pregnant
- have a heart pacemaker
- have epilepsy
- have a weakened immune system
- have diabetes
I'll also want to know about any medicines you take, especially anticoagulants, and whether you have a metal allergy or a strong fear of needles. I only needle skin that is clean and free from wounds and cuts, so I'll avoid any area with an infection or broken skin.
None of this necessarily rules acupuncture out. It means I can adjust where and how I needle, or suggest you check with your GP first. And if you're having any other treatment, it's a good idea to let your GP know you're having acupuncture too.
How I keep you safe
At your first appointment I take a full health history, including medicines and any of the situations above, before any needles are used. If something makes acupuncture unsuitable for you, I'll tell you plainly. You're always welcome to ask questions or stop at any point.
If you'd like to know what happens step by step, see my guide to your first visit.