Acupuncture, like all methods of health care, has implicit risk. Risks are minimised when acupuncture is performed by a registered Chinese Medicine acupuncturist as these practitioners undertake a 4-year degree and 400 hours of practical training in needling. These practitioners receive the most extensive form of acupuncture training available.
Risks with Acupuncture
Most common risks associated with acupuncture are pain at the point of needling, bleeding on needle removal, and bruising. Occasionally people can feel faint with treatment.
Very uncommon risks are infection, the needle bending, the needle becoming stuck or the needle breaking. All of these potential occurrences have clear safety management guidelines for the acupuncturist to follow and are very uncommon.
Extremely uncommon risks associated with needle penetration is the puncturing of an organ. However, when acupuncture is performed with appropriate care by an experienced clinician, these risks are extremely low.
Acupuncture with Us
At The House Of Acupuncture we are aware that your experience with us needs to be safe and feel comfortable for it to be therapeutic.
We will let you know the potential benefits of a treatment and inform you of the potential risks associated and then ask you if you would like to use it. We will not be offended if you say no.
Our moral and professional codes dictate we provide written informed consent before treatment and ongoing verbal consent during treatment, so you are in control and informed of what happens to your body.
For your safety traditional Chinese medicine acupuncturists are required by registration to undertake ongoing professional training of 20 hours per year, this ensures up-to-date practice in professional issues such as ethics, safety, hygiene, and other practice standards.
