Acupuncture is very safe when practiced by a trained, qualified practitioner. When practiced correctly, there are no side effects and no practitioner caused disease. If a patient reports side effects from a Oriental Medical treatment, the practitioner modifies the treatment until there is healing without side effects. This medicine is about restoring balance to the entire person, not just a piece or part. Side effects mean that there is an imbalance which needs to be corrected. The practitioner works until these imbalances are gone. This also might mean getting other practitioners on board as well to address things that are outside the scope of Oriental Medicine.