Precautions and Contraindications

with Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine

Precautions and Contraindications within Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine

Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine have long histories of safe and effective usage. Complications from either acupuncture or properly prescribed Chinese herbal medicine are rare and side effects, if any, are generally self-limited.

There are a number of guidelines, however, which govern the use of particular acupuncture points, individual herbs and/or herbal formulas. Some of the more common precautions and contraindications are listed below. It is important to note, however, that this list is in no way complete and only serves as a general guidepost. Further, even for herbs and/or points that are contraindicated for a certain situation or usage they may still be used in most cases with the correct reasoning by a well trained practitioner.

Precautions for Acupuncture Points

You may follow an individual item to find more about the precaution along with functions and clinical usages.

No Deep Needling (NDN)
CV 2 CV 3 CV 4 CV 5 CV 6 CV 7 GB 3 GV 15 GV 16 KD 21 KD 22 KD 23 KD 24 KD 25 KD 26 KD 27 LU 1 LU 2 LV 14 PC 1 ST 2 ST 9 ST 12 ST 13 ST 14 ST 15 ST 16 ST 18
No Perpendicular Needling (NPN)
CV 2 CV 3 CV 4 CV 5 CV 6 CV 7 CV 9 CV 10 CV 11 CV 12 CV 13 CV 14 CV 15
Avoid Artery (AA)
HT 1 LI 13 LU 9 SP 12 ST 5 ST 9 ST 12 ST 42 TH 19 TH 22
Avoid Moxibustion (MX)
GB 1 GB 9 GB 22 GB 33 GB 42 GV 4 GV 6 GV 15 GV 16 GV 22 GV 23 GV 25 GV 26 GV 27 GV 28 LI 4 LI 19 LI 20 LU 3 LU 5 LU 11 SI 18 ST 1 ST 2 ST 8 ST 9 ST 17 TH 23 UB 1 UB 2 UB 3 UB 6 UB 8 UB 10 UB 30 UB 40 UB 67
Pregnancy Precautions (PG)
GB 21 LI 4 SP 6 UB 31 UB 32 UB 33 UB 34
General Precautions (described for each point)
CV 2 - No Deep Needling in Pregnancy, No Perpendicular Needling in Advanced Pregnancy CV 3 - No Deep Needling in Pregnancy, No Perpendicular Needling in Advanced Pregnancy CV 4 - No Deep Needling in Pregnancy, No Perpendicular Needling in Advanced Pregnancy CV 5 - No Deep Needling in Pregnancy, No Perpendicular Needling in Advanced Pregnancy CV 6 - No Deep Needling in Pregnancy, No Perpendicular Needling in Advanced Pregnancy CV 7 - No Deep Needling in Pregnancy, No Perpendicular Needling in Advanced Pregnancy CV 8 - No needling. CV 9 - No Perpendicular Needling in Pregnancy. CV 10 - No Perpendicular Needling in Pregnancy. CV 11 - No Perpendicular Needling in Pregnancy. CV 12 - No Perpendicular Needling in Pregnancy. CV 13 - No Perpendicular Needling in Pregnancy. CV 14 - No Perpendicular Needling in Pregnancy. CV 15 - No Perpendicular Needling in Pregnancy. GB 21 - No needling with history of heart disease. GV 4 - No moxa in males under 20 years of age. GV 22 - No needling in infants with metopism GV 23 - No needling in infants with metopism KD 21 - Avoid liver on the right side. KD 22 - Avoid the heart. KD 23 - Needle obliquely. KD 24 - Needle obliquely. KD 25 - Needle obliquely. KD 26 - Needle obliquely. KD 27 - Needle obliquely. LV 12 - No needling. ST 1 - Slow insertion, no manipulation. ST 13 - Oblique insertion only. ST 14 - Oblique insertion only. ST 15 - Oblique insertion only. ST 16 - Oblique insertion only. ST 17 - Oblique insertion only. ST 18 - Oblique insertion only. TH 19 - No bloodletting. UB 1 - Slow insertion, no needle manipulation. UB 40 - No moxa, not even pole/stick moxibustion. UB 67 - Moxa is utilized to turn breech.

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