nickel, are possible.61–63There is some evidence that it might be inappropriate
to use electro-acupuncture on patients with pacemakers.^64 Some concerns
have been expressed about the safety issues involved with electrostimulation
and the possibility of tissue damage.^65
Accidental burns from moxibustion procedures (see below)^66 or
excessively warm acupuncture needles^67 have been reported. Clinical
misjudgement may give some cause for concern.
A summary of some of the complications of acupuncture is set out in
Table 6.3, which gives a simple summation of the cases of each episode
computed from a literature search. The results cannot be used to make
deductions of the frequency of such events.
Contraindications
Acupuncture is contraindicated or must be used with extreme care in
patients who:
- are unwilling to be needled; they should not be pressurised to undergo
treatment - have a tendency to bleed excessively
- have a pacemaker; it might be affected by the electrical stimulation of
acupuncture needles.
Traditional Chinese medicine | 141Event documented Number of cases in the literature
Drowsiness, fainting 1429
Increased pain 1129
Nausea, vomiting 540
Infections 228
Pneumothorax 129
Hepatitis 127
Psychiatric complications 112
Convulsions 80
Cardiac trauma 7Table 6.3Complications of acupuncture