Skip to main content

Table 2 Frequency of Administrative Problems and AEs Associated with Acupuncture Treatments (N = 37,490)

From: Safety of acupuncture by Korean Medicine Doctors: a prospective, practice-based survey of 37,490 consultations

 

AE occurrence

n (%)a

Frequency category by CIOMSb

Administrative problems

Defective devices

  Defective needle (e.g., broken needle)

31 (0.08)

Rare

Incidents

  Delayed needle removal

226 (0.60)

Uncommon

  Forgotten or lost needle

136 (0.36)

Uncommon

  Burn due to negligence

41 (0.11)

Uncommon

  Others

12 (0.03)

Rare

Local AEs

 Bleeding

1,969 (5.25)

Common

 Needle site pain

1,423 (3.80)

Common

 Bruising

951 (2.54)

Common

 Paraesthesia

605 (1.61)

Common

 Redness

226 (0.60)

Uncommon

 Itching

198 (0.53)

Uncommon

 Swelling

147 (0.39)

Uncommon

 Burn for treatment purpose

38 (0.10)

Uncommon

 Blister for treatment purpose

25 (0.07)

Rare

 Nerve injury

2 (0.01)

Very rare

 Local infection

1 (0.003)

Very rare

 Other

17 (0.05)

Rare

Systemic AEs

 Tiredness

150 (0.40)

Uncommon

 Somnolence

149 (0.40)

Uncommon

 Exacerbation of symptoms

79 (0.21)

Uncommon

 Lethargy

77 (0.21)

Uncommon

 ANS symptoms

45 (0.12)

Uncommon

 Pain elsewhere than needling sites

25 (0.07)

Rare

 Sleep disturbance

20 (0.05)

Rare

 Systemic inflammation

15 (0.04)

Rare

 New symptoms after treatment

10 (0.03)

Rare

 Convulsion

7 (0.02)

Rare

 Emotional complaint

5 (0.01)

Rare

 Others

15 (0.04)

Rare

  1. Abbreviations: AE Adverse event, ANS Autonomic nervous system, CIOMS Council for International Organisations of Medical Sciences
  2. aDenominator was 37,490 acupuncture treatments.
  3. bVery common (≥ 1/10), common (≥ 1/100 and < 1/10), uncommon (≥ 1/1,000 and < 1/100), rare (≥ 1/10,000 and < 1/1,000), or very rare (< 1/10,000) [20]