ACC Acupuncture Techniques and Safety Questions and Answers

Question 1

A practitioner is needling points on the upper back and shoulder, such as GB-21 (Jianjing) and BL-13 (Feishu).
What is the most critical potential adverse event associated with these points, and what is the primary preventative measure?

Accepted Answer

Pneumothorax; using a shallow, oblique insertion angled away from the lung field.

Answer

Brachial plexus injury; confirming the patient has no history of radiating arm pain.

Answer

Needle shock (fainting); ensuring the patient is in a supine position and has eaten recently.

Answer

Vertebral artery injury; needling only to a depth of 0.3 cun.

Question 2

In traditional needle manipulation, which of the following techniques is most characteristic of applying sedation (Xie) to disperse an excess condition?

Accepted Answer

Rapid insertion with deep, high-frequency, large-amplitude rotation or lifting/thrusting.

Answer

Slow, shallow insertion with minimal rotation, withdrawing slowly and pressing the point closed.

Answer

Inserting the needle on the patient's inhalation and withdrawing on the patient's exhalation.

Answer

Twirling the needle gently in only one direction to produce a mild, warming sensation.

Question 3

A patient in her third trimester of pregnancy presents with wrist pain. Which of the following commonly used distal points is strictly contraindicated for needling during pregnancy due to its strong potential to induce uterine contractions?

Accepted Answer

LI-4 (Hegu)

Answer

LU-7 (Lieque)

Answer

PC-6 (Neiguan)

Answer

HT-7 (Shenmen)

Question 4

A practitioner performs stationary cupping on a patient's upper back to relieve muscle tension. Upon removing the cups, dark purple marks are observed. How should this finding be interpreted and explained to the patient?

Accepted Answer

This indicates severe blood stasis and stagnation in the local area.

Answer

The cupping was performed with excessive suction, causing minor tissue damage.

Answer

This is an allergic reaction to the material of the cup and treatment should be discontinued.

Answer

The patient likely has a systemic blood deficiency, leading to easy marking.

Question 5

During a treatment, a practitioner finds that a needle is stuck in the patient's leg and cannot be easily withdrawn. Which of the following is the MOST appropriate initial action?

Accepted Answer

Reassure the patient, ask them to take a deep breath and relax, then gently massage or tap the skin around the point.

Answer

Forcibly and quickly pull the needle out to overcome the muscle spasm before it worsens.

Answer

Immediately apply a heat lamp to the area for 10-15 minutes to relax the muscle.

Answer

Insert another needle about 1 cun away from the stuck needle to disperse the local Qi.

Question 6

When considering the use of electroacupuncture (E-stim) for a new patient, which of the following represents an absolute contraindication for the treatment?

Accepted Answer

The patient has an implanted cardiac pacemaker.

Answer

A history of seizures or epilepsy.

Answer

The presence of a metallic bone screw from a previous surgery near the treatment area.

Answer

Treatment of points on the lower back during the first trimester of pregnancy.

A practitioner is needling points on the upper back and shoulder, such as GB-21 (Jianjing) and BL-13 (Feishu).What is the most critical potential adverse event associated with these points, and what is the primary preventative measure?

A practitioner is needling points on the upper back and shoulder, such as GB-21 (Jianjing) and BL-13 (Feishu).
What is the most critical potential adverse event associated with these points, and what is the primary preventative measure?