A Cumulative Review of the Range and Incidence of Significant Adverse Events Associated with Acupuncture

@article{White2004ACR,
  title={A Cumulative Review of the Range and Incidence of Significant Adverse Events Associated with Acupuncture},
  author={Adrian White},
  journal={Acupuncture in Medicine},
  year={2004},
  volume={22},
  pages={122 - 133}
}
  • A. White
  • Published 1 September 2004
  • Medicine
  • Acupuncture in Medicine
Objective To summarise the range and frequency of significant adverse events associated with acupuncture in order to provide evidence on which to base continuing efforts to improve the safety of acupuncture practice. Methods Searches were conducted of computerised databases, previous reviews of case reports, population surveys, prospective surveys of acupuncture practice and relevant sections of textbooks for primary and secondary reports to indicate the range of significant adverse events… 
View on SAGE
aim.bmj.com
348 Citations
Highly Influential Citations
5
Background Citations
91
Methods Citations
1
Results Citations
3

348 Citations

Citation Type

Citation Type

Adverse events associated with acupuncture: a prospective survey.
TLDR
Although acupuncture was associated with adverse events, there were no serious adverse events experienced by patients this study, and if acupuncture treatment is administered by a practitioner with enough experience and is conducted in accordance with established guidelines, it is a safe treatment method.
Patient safety incidents from acupuncture treatments: a review of reports to the National Patient Safety Agency.
TLDR
A number of AEs are recorded after acupuncture treatments in the NHS but the majority is not severe, however, miscategorisation and under-reporting may distort the overall picture.
Risks and Safety of Extended Auricular Therapy: A Review of Reviews and Case Reports of Adverse Events.
TLDR
More research is needed to establish if embedded needles at the ear are even necessary or have any advantage over in-session auricular acupuncture for immediate pain relief followed by ear acupressure.
The Safety of Pediatric Acupuncture: A Systematic Review
TLDR
Of the AEs associated with pediatric needle acupuncture, a majority of them were mild in severity, which support those from adult studies, which have found that acupuncture is safe when performed by appropriately trained practitioners.
Evaluating the safety of acupuncture regarding follow-up involving 297,168 punctures
TLDR
It may be deemed that acupuncture in expert hands represents safe medical practice.
Adverse events following acupuncture: A prospective survey of 13,884 consultations in a university out-patient acupuncture training clinic in Brazil
Efficacy of acupuncture in management of premenstrual syndrome: a systematic review.
HyperCKemia associated with acupuncture: a case report and review of the literature
TLDR
HyperCKemia may associated with acupuncture therapy, and all kinds of adverse events of acupuncture should be recorded comprehensively and objectively so as to improve the safety standard system of acupuncture therapy.
Acupuncture adverse events in China: a glimpse of historical and contextual aspects.
TLDR
The article by He and colleagues highlights the issue that almost all AEs associated with acupuncture in the modern period are due to the administration of the therapy rather than the therapy itself.
The use of acupuncture for managing gynaecologic conditions: An overview of systematic reviews.
...
1
2
3
4
5
...

References

SHOWING 1-10 OF 241 REFERENCES
Is acupuncture safe? A systematic review of case reports.
TLDR
Declines in adverse reports may suggest that recent practices, such as clean needle techniques and more rigorous acupuncturist training requirements, have reduced the risks associated with the procedure.
Survey of Adverse Events following Acupuncture
TLDR
This survey aims to give an accurate assessment of the risk of major complication and to determine the range and incidence of any other unintended and non-therapeutic ill-effects following acupuncture, no matter how minor, it constitutes the first such investigation into the safety of acupuncture.
Survey of Adverse Events following Acupuncture (Safa): A Prospective Study of 32,000 Consultations
TLDR
The incidence of adverse events following acupuncture performed by doctors and physiotherapists can be classified as minimal; some avoidable events do occur.
Adverse effects of acupuncture: a study of the literature for the years 1981-1994.
  • A. Norheim
  • Medicine
    Journal of alternative and complementary medicine
  • 1996
TLDR
The study confirms the adverse effects of acupuncture under certain circumstances, and acupuncture can generally be considered as a safe treatment.
Systematic review of adverse events following acupuncture: the Japanese literature.
TLDR
It is demonstrated that severe adverse events seem to be uncommon in standard practice, but many serious cases of negligence have been found in the present review, suggesting that training system for acupuncturists (including medical doctors) should be improved and that unsupervised self-treatment should be discouraged.
Adverse Events Associated with Acupuncture Reported in 2000
  • A. White, E. Ernst
  • Medicine
    Acupuncture in medicine : journal of the British Medical Acupuncture Society
  • 2001
TLDR
It is clear that acupuncture training and practice has some way to go before acupuncture as a therapy can be declared to be as safe as possible, and that outputs of electroacupuncture stimulators should be calibrated and practitioners should be trained in their use.
Adverse events in acupuncture and moxibustion treatment: a six-year survey at a national clinic in Japan.
TLDR
The results indicate that serious or severe adverse events are rare in standard practice and suggest that most severe or serious cases of adverse events caused by acupuncture reported in journals are actually cases of negligence.
Incidence of adverse effects during acupuncture therapy-a multicentre survey.
Incidence of adverse reactions associated with acupuncture.
TLDR
Although some adverse reactions associated with acupuncture were common even in standard practice, they were transient and mild compared to cases such as pneumothorax, cardiac injury, infection, or spinal lesions reported in other studies.
A Prospective Survey of Adverse Events and Treatment Reactions following 34,000 Consultations with Professional Acupuncturists
TLDR
In this prospective survey of 34,407 treatments, practitioners reported no serious adverse events, and the results suggest that acupuncture is a relatively safe treatment modality.
...
1
2
3
4
5
...