Modern sanitary procedures should keep the ancient practice of acupuncture germ-free.

RODALE NEWS, EMMAUS, PA—Acupuncture treatments have been used for more than 2,000 years to treat a variety of illnesses, such as chronic pain and immune disorders, using needles inserted in various pressure points throughout the body. Research is increasingly finding that it's effective against daily ailments like nausea, backache, and headaches. But an editorial written by a physician in Hong Kong and published in a recent issue of the British Journal of Medicine suggests that all those needles could be a source of serious infections.

THE DETAILS: Citing evidence from 50 global cases of acupuncture-related infections, the editorial's authors note that contaminated equipment and improper disinfection of the skin around an acupuncture injection had been found to spread Staphylococcus aureus bacteria and conditions such as meningitis, hepatitis B, and mycobacteriosis, a condition spread by bacteria that could live on cotton swabs and towels. The authors go on to write that strict regulation and accreditation requirements would be helpful in preventing the spread of acupuncture-related infections, as would sanitation procedures like disposable needles and proper skin-disinfection techniques.

WHAT IT MEANS: Although the authors described the few reported cases of acupuncture-related infection as the "tip of the iceberg," such cases are rare in the U.S., says Bryn Clark, LAc, OM, a professional acupuncturist with a private practice in Massachusetts and a member of the National Certification Commission for Alternative and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM). "We have a more litigious society in the U.S.," he says, "So we've had to establish a system of competencies that is unrivaled anywhere else in the world."