If administered correctly, acupuncture should not injure any organ. However, if injury does occur, it may be serious.

There are a great many acupuncture points, some which carry little or no risk and others where the potential of serious injury always exists, particularly in unskilled or inexperienced hands.

As training programmes in acupuncture are intended for different levels of personnel, it follows that they should be adapted to the knowledge, abilities and experience of those concerned. At elementary levels, the selection of acupuncture points should be limited. At professional levels, the range can be expanded but, even so, the use of certain points and manipulations should still be restricted to those with great experience.

The following passages present examples of points which carry particular potential risk. As in all forms of treatment, it is important to measure risk against expected benefit.