Studies Confirm that Acupuncture is Not Safe in the Hands of Non-licensed Acupuncturists

May 7, 2010 - PRLog -- Wednesday, May 5, 2010- Acupuncture patients may suffer from unwanted side effects in the hands of non-licensed acupuncturists, according to a comprehensive study conducted by the Institute of Community Medicine in Norway.

Acupuncture has been proven to be an effective form of therapy. Numerous scientific studies have proven the efficacy of acupuncture on treating various ailments. As a testament to the now scientifically recognized value of acupuncture, the Department of Essential Drugs and Medicine Policy of the World Health Organization (WHO) has published a list of diseases, symptoms, and conditions that acupuncture can treat. Headaches, depression, sprains, strokes, sciatica, and rheumatoid arthritis are among the conditions included in WHO’s 2003 publication.

However, practitioners with minimal acupuncture training, such as Chiropractors and Medical Doctors who have logged about 300 hours of practice while attending several weekend acupuncture seminars, may pose a risk to patients seeking acupuncture therapy.

A comprehensive decade long study of Norway’s Institute of Community Medicine validates the fact that acupuncture is not safe at the hands of untrained individuals. During the 14-year study, the institute have discovered that 193 patients have suffered from adverse side-effects. The bulk of the said patients may have consulted non-licensed acupuncturists. The study also found out that Medical Acupuncture treatment performed by doctors with minimal acupuncture training was the reason for the death of three patients as also reported by http://www.medicalacupuncturefacts.com.

The most serious side-effect that may stem from consulting non-licensed acupuncturists is pneumothorax or the influx of unwanted air in the chest due to perforation of the lungs by incorrect needle insertion. One case involved a patient who died 90 minutes after suffering chest pains and dyspnea after medical acupuncture treatment, according to MEDLINE.

Like other fields of conventional Western Medicine, acupuncture should be performed by a Licensed Acupuncturist (L.Ac.) only. Qualification for an acupuncture license is rigid. It is required that graduate acupuncture students should have more than 3,000 credit hours of study and training before gaining a license. During training, students are required to master the human body and the various acupuncture points. Such extensive training would ensure the absolute safety of patients who seek the services of an L.Ac. Unwanted accidents, such as perforation of the lungs by an acupuncture needle, would not happen at the hands of an L.Ac. who knows by heart all insertion points in the body.

When it comes to seeking treatment, your well-being should be your top priority. To ensure your safety, it is advisable to only consult an L.Ac. who has graduated from accredited acupuncture schools from The Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine http://www.acaom.org/accprgs.asp.

About Medical Acupuncture Facts:

Medical acupuncture facts discusses the importance of seeking out a licensed acupuncturist over a doctor or chiropractor with minimal medical acupuncture training. For over 2 years Medical Acupuncture Facts has been informing the public of the dangers of going to non-licensed acupuncturists and shows common sense reasons of why to stick with licensed acupuncturists to ensure public safety. Visit http://www.medicalacupuncturefacts.com to learn more.

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Company Name:

Medical Acupucture facts

http://www.medicalacupuncturefacts.com

San Diego, California 92101

Contact Spokesperson

Zhu Dan-Xi

info@medicalacupuncturefacts.com