As modern medical researchers have noticed a higher amount of endorphins (the body’s natural morphine in the brain) is secreted after the acupuncture treatment, which may explain why you may experience a natural high after acupuncture. The best thing you can do in this situation is rest – take it easy and having a nap afterward or go to bed early.
Full Answer
Can acupuncture side effects be enhanced by certain drugs?
Since it is known that acupuncture is capable of altering physiology and neurobiology, it is reasonable to suspect that a subset of acupuncture side effects may be enhanced by a particular substance. As an example, someone taking a benzodiazepine may find that they are extremely drowsy following acupuncture.
Why do you get high after acupuncture?
As modern medical researchers have noticed a higher amount of endorphins (the body’s natural morphine in the brain) is secreted after the acupuncture treatment, which may explain why you may experience a natural high after acupuncture. The best thing you can do in this situation is rest – take it easy and having a nap afterward or go to bed early.
Why do I feel different after each acupuncture treatment?
In fact, even if you had the same treatment for two consecutive weeks, you might feel different after each treatment, because the energy traveling through your acupuncture meridians is constantly shifting and changing. 2. How many treatments have you received? In general, the more treatments you receive, the better results you are going to have.
Why do I feel lightheaded after acupuncture?
Getting up quickly from the acupuncture table can cause lightheadedness, as can coming for acupuncture on an empty stomach. Remember that eating is one of the key things to remember before an acupuncture appointment. When your acupuncture session is over, take your time getting up and move gently as you gather your things to leave.
Does acupuncture increase urine output?
Consistent with other studies [21–23], our results showed that acupuncture reduced the residual urine volume in the bladder to improve urinary retention. Also, most of the patients were able to remove the catheter successfully with three or less acupuncture treatment sessions.
Can acupuncture affect your bladder?
Acupuncture works by targeting nerve pathways in the body that can regulate the brain signals to the bladder via the spinal cord and this may help the bladder muscle to be more relaxed and inhibit spontaneous contractions14.
Where is the acupuncture point for the bladder?
CV 2 is noted to be a major acupuncture point for all pelvic problems—both genitourinary and gynecologic. The CV 2 location is the anterior point for the Urinary Bladder and is used in the treatment of bladder dysfunction including UI.
What toxins are released during acupuncture?
Research funded by the National Institute of Health (NIH) found that Acupuncture, when performed correctly, helps the body to release more nitric oxide at the points where the needles are inserted.
Is acupuncture good for overactive bladder?
Acupuncture is an alternative therapy for OAB; it is minimally invasive and causes few side effects. 17–20 Several clinical studies have shown that acupuncture could reduce micturition over 24 h, urgency episodes over 24 h, and improve quality of life.
How successful is acupuncture for overactive bladder?
According to the results of meta-analysis, acupuncture might have effect in decreasing the number of micturition episodes, incontinence episodes, and nocturia episodes. However, the evidence is insufficient to show the effect using acupuncture alone or the additional effect to drugs in treating OAB.
What emotion is the bladder connected to?
Fear is the emotion of the kidneys and the bladder, organs associated with the water element. It is a normal adaptive emotion, but can become chronic when ignored.
Is there a pressure point that makes you pee?
While sitting on the toilet, a person can tap the area located between the belly button and the pubic bone. Using the fingertips, a person can gently but firmly tap the skin near the bladder every 30 seconds to encourage urination.
How do I strengthen my bladder meridian?
4:2013:12BLADDER MERIDIAN Exercises | 10 Minute Daily Routines - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAll right so arms forward and push from your lower back like this. You should feel a deep stretch onMoreAll right so arms forward and push from your lower back like this. You should feel a deep stretch on the back side keep your toes. Up bouncing here let's bounce 30 times if you feel it in your calves.
How does body detox after acupuncture?
Acupuncture works as a natural diuretic and helps the body to eliminate toxins in urine cleansing organs such as the kidneys, colon, skin and liver. The process is believed to balance of Qi (pronounced as chi) which is an important life energy force that creates nourishment and alignment of body functions.
How do you know if acupuncture is working?
Acupuncture needles are much thinner than medical needles, and they are solid, not hollow. The needles may cause some muscle sensations, such as dull ache or tingling. Your practitioner will ask you to report when you feel a deep heaviness or numbness. Those sensations usually mean the treatment is working.
What happens to your body after acupuncture?
What to Expect After Treatment: In general, people tend to feel relaxed after an acupuncture treatment. And the days following might even mean better sleep, digestion, and an overall sense of well-being. But some patients report having a deeper, more intense effect in the days following a session.
What happens after acupuncture?
Long-term Reactions After Acupuncture. Running nose, sore throat and some cold symptoms may appear during the second or third week of an acupuncture treatment. In Chinese medicine, an unresolved cold or flu was the underlying cause of many health problems, like poor circulation, stiff neck and back and migraine.
How to get high after acupuncture?
In such a state of relaxation, your concentration may be downgraded: following conversations or focusing in meetings become difficult, or simply can’t keep awake. As modern medical researchers have noticed a higher amount of endorphins (body’s natural morphine in the brain) is secreted after the acupuncture treatment, that may explain why you may experience a natural high after acupuncture. The best thing you can do in this situation is rest – take it easy and having a nap afterwards or go to bed early. Y0ur body heals faster when you spend more time in a deep sleep state.
Why do people put heavy covers on their acupuncture?
For many, they put heavy covers on the top of this emotion container, to hide their emotions from everyone. During the acupuncture session, this cover is melting away and emotions are streaming out. It is healthy to let the emotions set free from time to time.
What does it mean when your body is in a reversing process?
While the body is in a reversing process of healing, it often notices that the recurred symptoms are not causing as strong discomfort as a normal attack.
How to help pain after acupuncture?
Thus, if the pain worse after acupuncture, do not panic or worry, but take some sensible steps to help calm the pain, like resting, apply red flower oil locally, or take some painkillers if needed. It is important for the patient to give the doctor feedback on how long the pain relief was last and any changes in the pattern or site of the pain.
How do you know if you have a good elimination?
Both signs of good eliminations indicate body elevates the level of metabolism, or in the Chinese term, a better energy flow in kidney and spleen meridians.
Can you stop peeing after acupuncture?
Elimination: Some patients experience detox symptoms like more urination after the acupuncture session. Some have told me that they can’t stop going for a pee, up to ten times within one afternoon, without drinking more water. As you would expect, their bloating and water retention would be relieved significantly.
Why do people become unsure about the efficacy of acupuncture?
Because these reactions are more intense, people become unsure about the efficacy of acupuncture and whether or not to continue treatment.
What happens after acupuncture?
After an acupuncture treatment, most people feel relaxed. The stress of the day has melted away and a pleasant calmness has taken its place. In the days that follow, sleep, digestion, and energy are improved, and pain and stress are reduced. Quite often, however, acupuncture has deeper and more intense effects in the days following the treatment.
How long does it take for acupuncture to heal?
The increased intensity means that your body is healing more quickly. It’s processing in one or two days what would have taken several days.
What is acupuncture capable of?
Acupuncture is capable of dredging up things that have been accumulating in your system for years.
How does acupuncture help with emotional trauma?
Emotional trauma and stress get stored in our bodies if it is not actively expressed, and acupuncture helps to unlock these stored emotions.
What does it feel like to leave acupuncture?
Usually at the end of an acupuncture treatment, you leave with a sense of contentment and relaxation.
Can acupuncture cause a patient to cry?
Sometimes this occurs during the treatment itself. It is common for me to place a particular acupuncture needle and have a patient begin to cry or react emotionally.
What are the physiological and neurobiological changes that occur after acupuncture?
The physiological and/or neurobiological alterations that occur following acupuncture are theorized to enhance health and/or alleviate symptomatic severity of medical conditions. Whether a legitimate therapeutic effect can be attained from acupuncture is somewhat unclear.
What are the side effects of acupuncture?
The most common acupuncture side effects include: infections, central nervous system injuries, organ and/or tissue injuries, as well as irritation around stimulation sites.
What is a skilled acupuncturist?
Skilled acupuncturist: A highly-skilled acupuncture practitioner could be considered someone who has attained an NCCAOM license, has excellent motor skills (for needle insertion), and has practiced for several years. A skilled acupuncturist should know which areas to stimulate (and which to avoid) and the amount of pressure to apply. He/she will work with clients to minimize likelihood of adverse events and ensure client comfort. Skilled practitioners are also more likely to use clean needles and perform acupuncture in a sanitary environment to mitigate risk of infectious disease.
How long between acupuncture sessions?
Minimal: A minimal amount of time between acupuncture sessions (e.g. days) indicates that you’re receiving acupuncture on a frequent basis. This may be suboptimal in terms of healing of wounds and/or soreness from prior needle insertion, resulting in cumulative exacerbation of side effects. For example, if you receive acupuncture just days after a prior session, and experienced significant skin irritation and/or bleeding – the skin irritation and/or bleeding may become worse as a result of insufficient recovery time between sessions.
How many needles are used in acupuncture?
Number of needles used (stimulation sites): During a single acupuncture session, the number of acupuncture needles used may range from 2 to 20 – most practitioners are thought to use between 6 and 8. Patients receiving acupuncture for multiple conditions often receive stimulation from a greater number of needles compared to those being treated for just one condition. It should be speculated that the greater number of needles used per session (and stimulation sites), the more likely side effects are likely to occur. More needles increases risk of error during insertion, stimulation, or upon removal.
Can acupuncture cause inflammation?
Inflammation: It is understood that transcutaneous stimulation of the skin with an acupuncture needle is bound to induc e some inflammation. That said, severe inflammation may occur if acupuncture is performed improperly and/or with excessive pressure – ultimately injuring tissue at the site of needle insertion.
Does acupuncture affect the skin?
Although there’s zero evidence to substantiate the existence of acupuncture points and meridians, it is understood that stimulation of the skin and peripheral nerves [as is induced by acupuncture], may significantly alter physiology and neurobiology. The physiological and/or neurobiological alterations that occur following acupuncture are theorized to enhance health and/or alleviate symptomatic severity of medical conditions. Whether a legitimate therapeutic effect can be attained from acupuncture is somewhat unclear.
How does acupuncture affect your body?
Acupuncture gets things moving, potentially causing your body to react in ways that it's not used to. You want to honor that experience by giving yourself time to see how things shake out.
Why is it important to stay hydrated after acupuncture?
This is for two reasons: 1) It's important to stay hydrated after acupuncture because it can cause toxins to be released into your system. Staying appropriately hydrated helps flush out these toxins. Since alcohol and coffee both cause dehydrating effects on the body, they should be avoided after acupuncture.
What to do after acupuncture?
After acupuncture, imagine the foods that would make you feel nourished and healthy, then go eat them. Now you know how to take care of yourself before and after an acupuncture treatment. The only thing left to do is make an appointment. Here's a great place to start. For more by Sara Calabro, click here.
How to take care of yourself after acupuncture?
Now, here are six ways to take care of yourself after an acupuncture treatment. Rest. You don't have to literally lie down or take a nap (although, bonus if you can). By rest, I mean, go easy. Don't help your friend move into a six-floor walkup apartment. Don't babysit for your sister's colicky baby and 2-month-old puppy.
How does acupuncture help you?
Acupuncture helps bring you into a place of balance, where your sympathetic nervous system (fight-or-flight response) is no longer in overdrive. Your mind is calmer and clearer, enjoying a respite from the overstimulating world in which we live. As soon as you click on that TV, it all comes flooding back -- incessant advertising, screaming pundits, news flashes, noise and more noise. Keep the TV off and you'll extend your state of acu-bliss.
Why does acupuncture cause pain?
From an acupuncture perspective, many pain conditions are caused by stagnation. Things are not moving smoothly through the channels, causing blockages that lead to pain. Acupuncture restores flow, helping to eliminate these blockages. ( Watch this cool video to better understand this concept.)
How to get rid of a swollen ear after acupuncture?
Go light on exercise. A lot of people ask whether they can work out after acupuncture. Exercise is fine -- light, gradual movement can be a nice adjunct to an acupuncture treatment -- but be gentle. If you're a runner, try walking on the day you have acupuncture. If you normally take advanced yoga classes, give a beginner or intermediate class ...
How does acupuncture work?
Eastern medicine sees acupuncture as a way of balancing life energy or life force, otherwise known as qi, by inserting needles into specific points along "pathways" called meridians. Western acupuncturists, on the other hand, see the procedure as a way to "stimulate nerves, muscles, and connective tissue" in a way that fires up your natural ...
Why do we need acupuncture?
Because acupuncture helps your body get rid of toxins, it would be counterproductive to reintroduce other types of toxins into your body in the form of sugar or processed food ; instead, pick healthy options that might allow your body to continue healing after your sessions. Also, if your system has been reset so that everything is in equilibrium, it may be a good idea to avoid anything that could trigger you and make you excited, and, because of this, HuffPost recommends you avoid caffeinated beverages like coffee and tea. Another reason to avoid caffeine — at least for a while — is that your body needs to stay hydrated, which is something that caffeine, which is a diuretic, cannot help you do as well as, say, water.
Can you eat cold after acupuncture?
Use heat and avoid specific foods after an acupuncture treatment. Traditional Chinese medicine doctors aren't fond of anything cold — this includes eating anything cold like ice cream and smoothies, taking a cold shower, and even using an ice pack in parts of your body that might feel sore or tender after a session.
Does acupuncture work in cold temperatures?
Indigo Healing Acupuncture says cold temperatures could actually undo the positive effects of acupuncture because it impedes both your energy flow and the healing process. Instead, soothe yourself with a warm bath and a hot pad on any part of the body that might need a bit of TLC after a session.
How to get better at acupuncture?
Exercise is essential to effective treatment. If you exercise daily, your acupuncture treatment will feel better and you will get more out of it. Acupuncture gives your body a head start on the path to wellness, balancing your hormones and your neurotransmitters; exercise does the same thing, so they act in tandem.
Why do you drink water after acupuncture?
This is because your body will naturally release toxins after a massage. So, too, with acupuncture. It’s important to drink enough fluid to keep your body’s toxins moving out of you.
How long does it take for acupuncture to work?
Please remember that this is a general rule and, depending on other factors, even a longstanding, severe problem can sometimes respond quite well to acupuncture in just a few short weeks. I recently treated a man in his 50s for long-standing asthma and coughing that cleared up in three treatments. I generally tell people that it’ll take half as long as you’ve had the problem to completely heal it. But that is not to say that you won’t experience significant relief and benefits from your treatments long before this time period. It has been my experience that most people find significant relief in just three or four treatments, regardless of the length of time they’ve had the problem.
How many different types of acupuncture are there?
There are so many different types of acupuncture. Each type was “invented” by a different doctor, and most have proven to be quite successful. You could go to 20 different acupuncturists and receive 20 different types of treatments.
How many needles are used in acupuncture?
Other treatments may use 20 to 30 needles or more. Depending on the strength of the various types of treatments, you may feel entirely different after one type of treatment than after another and get entirely different results. In fact, even if you had the same treatment for two consecutive weeks, you might feel different after each treatment, because the energy traveling through your acupuncture meridians is constantly shifting and changing.
How often should I get acupuncture?
If you have been feeling very depressed and come in for acupuncture, I will probably recommend you have treatments twice a week. This is not to say that you won’t get as good a result if I only see you weekly, or twice monthly, but you will receive the benefit more quickly if you receive treatments more often. Most people receive a very nice benefit from the treatment after about eight to ten treatments, and then after that they will decide to let the frequency trail off to every other week, or once a month.
Why does it take longer for a system to heal?
Because these systems are so complicated, often a problem related to one of the systems might take longer to heal. When undergoing treatment for these types of problems, a person will often experience a healing aggravation, or healing crisis. This could mean you experience a rash, headaches, or even nausea. Sometimes, certain emotions such as ...
Why does my urine volume increase?
In this condition, high amounts of glucose (blood sugar) collect in your kidney tubules and cause your urine volume to increase .
What happens if you have a high urine volume after a CT scan?
Excessive urine output can sometimes signal health problems, including: You may also notice polyuria after a CT scan or any other hospital test in which a dye is injected into your body. Excessive urine volume is common the day after the test. Call your doctor if the problem continues.
Why does diabetes cause increased urine volume?
Another form of diabetes called diabetes insipidus increases your urine volume because your body isn’t producing enough antidiuretic hormone. Antidiuretic hormone is also known as ADH or vasopressin. ADH is produced by your pituitary gland and is part of the fluid absorption process in your kidneys.
What is excessive urination volume?
Excessive urination volume (or polyuria) occurs when you urinate more than normal. Urine volume is considered excessive if it equals more than 2.5 liters per day.
Why is my urine volume so high?
Excessive urine volume often occurs due to lifestyle behaviors. This can include drinking large amounts of liquid, which is known as polydipsia and isn’t a serious health concern. Drinking alcohol and caffeine can also lead to polyuria. Certain medications, such as diuretics, increase urine volume.
How to reduce urine volume?
Try the following tips: Watch your fluid intake. Limit fluids before bedtime. Limit caffeinated and alcoholic beverages. Understand the side effects of medications. Excessive urine volume caused by health concerns, such as diabetes, can be addressed by treating the underlying cause.
What medications cause polyuria?
potassium-sparing diuretics, such as eplerenone and triamterene. loop diuretics, such as bumetanide and furosemide. You may experience polyuria as a side effect of these medications.
Why is urine output important?
Urine output often is used as a marker of acute kidney injury but also to guide fluid resuscitation in critically ill patients . Although decrease of urine output may be associated to a decrease of glomerular filtration rate due to decrease of renal blood flow or renal perfusion pressure, neurohormonal factors and functional changes may influence ...
What causes ultrafiltrate to be mainly generated on the first portion of the afferent side of the?
An increase of capillary hydraulic pressure will cause the ultrafiltrate to be mainly generated on the first portion of the afferent side of the capillary network and to cease when hydraulic and oncotic pressures become equal along the glomerular capillary network (Figure (Figure1).1).
Why is the hydraulic pressure constant in the glomerular capillary?
Because the length of the afferent and efferent arterioles in the glomerular capillary network is relatively short and the resistance is low, the glomerular capillary hydraulic pressure remains rather constant along the capillaries, whereas the oncotic pressure along the capillary increases in relation with filtration.
What percentage of blood flow does the medulla receive?
Whereas normal kidneys receive ~20% of cardiac output, the medulla receives less than 10% of renal blood flow [51]. Even with a stable renal blood flow within the range of autoregulation, the cortical and medulla have different responses to changes in renal perfusion pressure (RPP).
Does GFR increase with dopamine?
Such an increase of renal blood flow does not necessarily translate into GFR increase. For example, infusion of low-dose dopamine (2 μg/kg/min) can increase renal blood flow, induce renal vasodilatation, and increase urine output but with no effect on creatinine clearance [44].
Does renal blood flow autoregulation increase GFR?
Therefore, one can expect that increasing renal perfusion pressure when MAP is below the threshold of renal blood flow autoregulation or if autoregulation is impaired could improve GFR and urine output through an increase of renal blood flow. Sepsis is the leading contributor to AKI in the ICU setting, accounting for more than 50% of episodes of AKI. Whereas fluid challenge can improve renal perfusion pressure and renal perfusion in hypovolemic states, the sole fluid resuscitation is unlikely to increase largely the mean arterial pressure. Vasopressor infusion is therefore required to improve renal perfusion pressure in conditions with systemic inflammation [37]. Norepinephrine has been reported to increase renal blood flow, urine output, and creatinine clearance in experimental sepsis [38]. Although norepinephrine also has been found to increase creatinine clearance in human sepsis [39], clinical studies in which MAP was increased with norepinephrine have provided conflicting results. Bourgoin et al. found that increasing MAP from 65 to 85 mmHg did not further improve creatinine clearance in patients with septic shock [40]. In contrast, in a more recent study among patients with vasodilatory shock after cardiac surgery, infusing norepinephrine was found to improve renal oxygen delivery, oxygen delivery/consumption balance, and GFR when MAP was increased from 60 to 75 mmHg [41]. Infusion of norepinephrine in septic patients titrated to increase MAP from 65 to 75 mmHg was associated with a decrease of renal Doppler resistive index, suggesting an increase in renal vascular conductance [42], confirming the experimental data. These results are in accordance with physiological animals studies that showed that norepinephrine and vasopressin can induce, in septic states, an increase of renal blood flow through a combined increase of renal perfusion pressure (i.e., prerenal mechanism) and an increase of renal vascular conductance (i.e., intrarenal mechanism) [38,43].
Does GFR change with renal perfusion pressure?
GFR does not change and only increase of renal plasma flow and decrease of filtration fraction causes the GFR to increase (B). GFR is likely to increase with rise of renal perfusion pressure if the filtration surface is impaired, the point of equilibrium not being reached (C and D).
What causes a decrease in urine output?
Urinary Tract Obstruction. A blockage or obstruction prevents urine from leaving the kidneys, leading to a decrease in your urine output. Those suffering from a blockage may also experience fever, vomiting, swelling, nausea or body pain. Medications.
What does it mean when your urine output is decreased?
Decreased Urine Output. Decreased urine output or oliguria is a condition that causes the body to produce less than 400 millimeters of urine a day. As one of the abnormal urine output, this is not to be confused with conditions where people fail to urinate at all, or conditions like anuria when you produce 50 mm of urine or less.
How much urine is too much?
Excessive urine output means that you are producing more than 2.5 liters of urine each day , which is also abnormal urine output. In general, it is considered normal to urinate around 2 liters of liquid every day, but this will vary based on your gender, age and other factors.
What does it mean when you pee so much?
Health Conditions. Excessive urination can be a sign that you are experiencing a condition such as psychogenic polydipsia, kidney failure, sickle cell anemia or diabetes.
What to do if you have abnormal urine?
If you suspect a medical condition is causing your excessive abnormal urine output, you should seek medical attention. Monitor your condition for a few days, and contact your doctor if your condition does not appear to be subsiding.
What tests can be taken to determine if you have decreased urine production?
You may need to attempt to provide a urine sample so the urine can be analyzed for infectious properties or take blood tests, an abdominal ultrasound, CT or renal scans to determine what is causing your decreased urine production.
Why isn't my urine a normal level?
Urinating is a way for the body to remove toxins and waste from the body. Your body is expected to release a certain amount of urine each day based on the amount of liquid you take in.
Introduction
Research
Effects
- Data published in Chinese, Japanese, and Taiwanese journals report that acupuncture is an effective intervention for an array of medical conditions. However, a critical look at these data reveals that they: were published in journals with an impact factor of zero, of low methodological quality, and subject to significant bias. Conversely, data attained from reputable scientific journa…
Benefits
- The technique may provide modest short-term therapeutic benefit in combatting post-surgical emetic symptoms, certain types of pain, as well as headaches. Despite its non-existent efficacy for most conditions, an estimated 21 million Americans (6.5% of the United States population) have tried acupuncture. When practiced properly by a licensed professional, acupuncture is asso…
Side effects
- Data from randomized controlled trials and large-scale practitioner surveys suggests that when performed by a professional, acupuncture isnt likely to provoke many side effects nor adverse reactions. Likelihood of side effects and serious adverse events increases when the technique is performed by an unlicensed practitioner. The most common acupuncture side effects include: in…
Causes
- An increase in sympathetic nervous system function may facilitate a stimulatory effect, thereby activating the fight-or-flight response to induce anxiety. Another cause of anxiety as a side effect of acupuncture may be related to alterations in neurobiology as mediated by nerve signaling. As acupuncture needles penetrate the skin, nerve signals tra...
Risks
- Bleeding: Individuals receiving needle-based acupuncture may end up bleeding, especially if the technique is performed by an unlicensed practitioner. Most people understand that when the skin is penetrated with an acupuncture needle, minor bleeding may occur. Those with certain medical conditions and/or taking blood thinner medications should be cognizant of this side effect as th…
Treatment
- If you bleed, it is important that wounds are properly cleaned and that all equipment is sterilized. Suboptimal sterilization of equipment, sanitation of the environment, and/or cleaning of a bloody wound may lead to serious infection. Those who dislike bleeding as a side effect may wish to pursue other formats of acupuncture stimulation such as electrical or laser. Those experiencing …
Symptoms
- Bruising: Within several days after an acupuncture session, you may notice that your skin has bruised in multiple areas. Bruising as a side effect of acupuncture occurs when the needle-induced stimulation causes blood vessels (capillaries) to break near the surface of your skin. The breakage of these blood vessels results in a leakage of red blood cells, and ultimately a disconc…
Prognosis
- Death: Though uncommon, a small percentage of individuals receiving acupuncture end up dying. In a 2010 publication by Edzard Ernst entitled Acupuncture: A Treatment to Die For? deaths resulting from acupuncture were discussed. The publication noted that approximately 90 individuals have died as a result of acupuncture-induced complications, indicating that acupunct…
Epidemiology
- In developed Western countries such as the United Kingdom, zero deaths associated with acupuncture have been documented. However, in Eastern countries such as China, deaths resulting from acupuncture may be more common, especially with unlicensed acupuncture practitioners. Ernst presented multiple cases in his report, including one of a 44-year-old Chines…
Death
- The 44-year-old died as a result of an acupuncture needle being inserted too far within her heart, ultimately puncturing her right ventricle and leading to a rapid death. The 26-year-old died as a result of an acupuncture needle entering her lung and causing tension pneumothorax. Overall, although the risk of death associated with acupuncture is extremely low, likelihood of death can …
Prevention
- To reduce the likelihood of dizziness, be sure that you are in a comfortable position during your acupuncture session. If any particular sites of stimulation provoke the dizziness more than others, you may want to tell your acupuncture practitioner to avoid stimulating those areas in the future. Moreover, be sure to stay hydrated, take a few deep breaths, and gradually transition to an uprig…