Drug & supplement interaction

Acupuncture + Olmesartan Medoxomil

Olmesartan Medoxomil brand names: Olmesartan Medoxomil, Benicar.

No Known Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated July 2026 · Pair last verified Sep 13, 2026
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Acupuncture and Olmesartan Medoxomil in our sources. Absence of a documented interaction is not the same as proven safety, and does not guarantee one does not exist. Do not start, stop, or change a medication or supplement based on this page; confirm with your pharmacist or doctor first. Additionally, although there is no interaction, the two are separately associated with some of the same side effects, which would make a new symptom harder to attribute to one or the other.

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Interaction report

Acupuncture and Olmesartan Medoxomil

We checked these two against our interaction database. Here is what we found.

No Known Interaction Found

We did not find a documented interaction between Olmesartan Medoxomil and Acupuncture in our sources. This does not guarantee that the combination is completely free of risk — research on Acupuncture alongside specific medications may be limited.

Worth understanding: our licensed dataset holds no drug-interaction record for Acupuncture at all — not against Olmesartan Medoxomil, and not against any other medication we track. This verdict therefore rests on the absence of any recorded data, not on research that looked at this combination and found nothing. We cannot rule an interaction out.

Acupuncture is a treatment rather than something you take. Tell whoever provides it which medicines you use, and ask your prescriber whether it is appropriate for your health and treatment. Do not stop a prescribed medicine on your own.

Always talk with your pharmacist or doctor before making changes to your medications or supplements, particularly if you take several medications or have an ongoing health condition.

Acupuncture safety at a glance

Acupuncture overall Use caution Generally safe when performed by a licensed practitioner with sterile, single-use needles.
Pregnancy Possibly Safe When used appropriately at most acupoints and performed with sterile needles. Some clinical research shows that acupuncture has been used during pregnancy and l... Read the full pregnancy detail
Breastfeeding Possibly Safe When used appropriately at most acupoints and performed with sterile needles. Some clinical research shows that acupuncture has been used during pregnancy and l... Read the full breastfeeding detail

Pregnancy & breastfeeding ratings are from Natural Medicines (Therapeutic Research Center) — the full detail is in the Special populations card below. Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Still wondering about combining Olmesartan Medoxomil and Acupuncture? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Acupuncture and Olmesartan Medoxomil May Share Several of the Same Side Effects

This is not an interaction. Neither one changes how your body handles the other, and nothing here says they react together. What our sources do show is that each has separately been linked to the effects below — so having Acupuncture while taking the medicine can make those effects more likely to turn up, and harder to pin on one or the other if they do.

  • Dizziness / Tiredness reported in 6.0% of FDA reports for Olmesartan Medoxomil Additional detail

    Acupuncture

    “Fainting and dizziness have been reported rarely. Tiredness, transient sedation, and vasovagal shock have also been reported rarely. Numbness has been reported rarely. Crying and irritability have been reported.”

    Acupuncture · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in vertigo.

    6 sources cited
    1. 102639. Fan W, Kuang X, Hu J, et al. Acupuncture therapy for poststroke spastic hemiplegia: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2020;40:101176. PubMed
    2. 102646. Zhang L, Tang Y, Hui R, et al. The effects of active acupuncture and placebo acupuncture on insomnia patients: a randomized controlled trial. Psychol Health Med. 2020:1-15. PubMed
    3. 103432. Qin X, Coyle ME, Yang L, et al. Acupuncture for recurrent urinary tract infection in women: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BJOG. 2020.
    4. 103435. Fan SQ, Jin S, Tang TC, Chen M, Zheng H. Efficacy of acupuncture for migraine prophylaxis: a trial sequential meta-analysis. J Neurol. 2020. PubMed
    5. 105403. Jang A, Brown C, Lamoury G, et al. The effects of acupuncture on cancer-related fatigue: updated systematic review and meta-analysis. Integr Cancer Ther. 2020;19:1534735420949679. PubMed
    6. 104723. Yang XY, Yang NB, Huang FF, Ren S, Li ZJ. Effectiveness of acupuncture on anxiety disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Ann Gen Psychiatry. 2021;20(1):9. PubMed

    Olmesartan Medoxomil

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Olmesartan Medoxomil, and in voluntary FDA adverse-event reports. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Itching Additional detail

    Acupuncture

    “Redness, blisters, and itching have been reported rarely.”

    Acupuncture · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in pruritus.

    6 sources cited
    1. 104731. Zhang Q, Gong J, Dong H, Xu S, Wang W, Huang G. Acupuncture for chronic fatigue syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Acupunct Med. 2019;37(4):211-222. PubMed
    2. 109809. He M, Qin W, Qin Z, Zhao C. Acupuncture for allergic rhinitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Eur J Med Res 2022;27(1):58. PubMed
    3. 109814. Hullender Rubin LE, Smith CA, Schnyer RN, Tahir P, Pasch LA. Effect of acupuncture on IVF-related anxiety: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Reprod Biomed Online 2022;45(1):69-80. PubMed
    4. 111801. Lun T, Lin S, Chen Y, et al. Acupuncture for children with autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Medicine (Baltimore) 2023;102(8):e33079. PubMed
    5. 111820. Wu XK, Gao JS, Ma HL, et al. Acupuncture and doxylamine-pyridoxine for nausea and vomiting in pregnancy : A randomized, controlled, 2?×?2 factorial trial. Ann Intern Med 2023;176(7):922-933. PubMed
    6. 111823. Wang J, Wu B, Li Y, Wang X, Lu Z, Wang W. Acupuncture in the treatment of post-stroke hiccup: A systematic Review and meta-analysis. Libyan J Med 2023;18(1):2251640. PubMed

    Olmesartan Medoxomil

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Olmesartan Medoxomil. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Swelling Additional detail

    Acupuncture

    “Minor pain, swelling, and bruising have been reported with acupuncture in clinical trials.

    Mishandling acupuncture needles can cause traumatic damage to the body. There have been case reports of epidural and subdural hematomas from improper acupuncture, resulting in paresthesia, hemiparesis, quadriparesis, and sensory deficit.”

    Acupuncture · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in back pain.

    6 sources cited
    1. 102626. Hou W, Pei L, Song Y, et al. Acupuncture therapy for breast cancer-related lymphedema: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Obstet Gynaecol Res. 2019;45(12):2307-2317. PubMed
    2. 102627. Yu S, Zhu L, Xie P, et al. Effects of acupuncture on breast cancer-related lymphoedema: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Explore (NY). 2020;16(2):97-102. PubMed
    3. 102628. He Y, Guo X, May BH, et al. Clinical evidence for association of acupuncture and acupressure with improved cancer pain: A systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Oncol. 2019;6(2):271-8. PubMed
    4. 102636. Hwang MS, Lee HY, Choi TY, et al. A systematic review and meta-analysis of the efficacy of acupuncture and electroacupuncture against chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy. Medicine (Baltimore). 2020;99(17):e19837. PubMed
    5. 102638. Wang L, Xu J, Zhan Y, Pei J. Acupuncture for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Biomed Res Int. 2020;2020:6972327. PubMed
    6. 102640. Zhang J, Liu Y, Huang X, et al. Efficacy comparison of different acupuncture treatments for functional dyspepsia: A systematic review with network meta-analysis. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2020;2020:3872919. PubMed

    Olmesartan Medoxomil

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Olmesartan Medoxomil. Read the label on DailyMed ›

Reported for Acupuncture but not commonly for Olmesartan Medoxomil: stomach upset, back pain, constipation and mood changes or irritability.

Effects for Olmesartan Medoxomil come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Acupuncture come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 43,574 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Olmesartan Medoxomil that mention that effect — a reporting proportion, not an incidence rate and not evidence the drug caused it. Wording is matched across sources by our own clinical vocabulary, so treat this as a prompt to pay attention, not a diagnosis.

Special populations

Acupuncture in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Pregnancy And Lactation Possibly Safe

When used appropriately at most acupoints and performed with sterile needles. Some clinical research shows that acupuncture has been used during pregnancy and labor without reports of significant adverse effects. POSSIBLY UNSAFE...when acupuncture at the SP6 acupoint is used. There is some concern that this acupoint can increase the risk of early contractions and miscarriage. Most evidence also suggests that acupuncture is safe for patients undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF). One large clinical study and a meta-analysis show that receiving acupuncture one or more times between follicle stimulation and pregnancy testing does not affect the pregnancy or live birth rate when compared with sham acupuncture or no intervention. However, a smaller study shows that acupuncture performed off-site immediately before and after IVF embryo transfer reduces the pregnancy rate by 21% when compared to no additional intervention. Use caution until more is known about the safety of acupuncture during IVF. There is insufficient reliable information available about the use of electroacupuncture or laser acupuncture during pregnancy; avoid using.

DISCLAIMER: This tool is intended for informational purposes only, and should not be interpreted as specific medical advice. Patients should consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making decisions about therapies and/or health conditions.© 2026 Therapeutic Research Center

From our Q&A

Questions About Acupuncture or Olmesartan Medoxomil

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Acupuncture or Olmesartan Medoxomil, not necessarily both, but if one is close to what you were about to ask it will usually go further than a database entry can:

Not quite your question? Ask our pharmacists directly — it is free, there is no account required, and answers usually come back within 24 hours.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Olmesartan Medoxomil

This page covers Acupuncture only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Olmesartan Medoxomil page lists 136 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), American Hellebore (major), American Mistletoe (major), Tyramine (major) and Adrafinil (moderate).

By severity: 4 major · 111 moderate · 21 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Olmesartan Medoxomil page

“Olmesartan medoxomil (Benicar) lowers blood pressure by relaxing blood vessels, and nearly everything on this page, 119 of the 136 ingredients, pulls on that same lever, deepening the drop or working against it. Four entries rate major, which is why this list deserves genuine care rather than a quick skim.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Olmesartan Medoxomil interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Acupuncture and Olmesartan Medoxomil Sit Against Everything Else

Out of every supplement and medication people look up on HelloPharmacist, here is where these two land this week — and which way each has been moving.

Supplement Acupuncture
Steady interest

#1,180 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Olmesartan Medoxomil
Top half

#1,161 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today

Position among everything looked up on this site, not a measure of how commonly either one is used or how important it is. A supplement can climb this list because of a news story. It counts every request to the page, automated ones included, and nothing here identifies anyone.

Where does our data come from?
  • Source: the Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) clinical database — the evidence-graded professional reference for herb & supplement interactions.
  • Citation library: 103,510 references behind our interaction content, 65,311 of them resolved to verified PubMed/DOI sources. See every Acupuncture reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 13, 2026. The Acupuncture and Olmesartan Medoxomil records this page draws on were last updated July 10, 2026.
  • What “no known interaction” means: no documented interaction in the sources above — not a guarantee of safety. Supplements are studied far less than prescription drugs, so we say exactly what the evidence supports, and nothing more.
Data structure & sourcing designed and verified by .
Treatment approach

About Acupuncture

What is Acupuncture?

  • Chronic pain
  • Low back and neck pain
  • Osteoarthritis (especially knee)
  • Headache and migraine
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Stress and well-being

Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese medicine practice that involves inserting thin needles into specific points on the body. There is moderate evidence it may help certain types of chronic pain and nausea, while evidence for many other uses is weak or unclear. When done by a licensed, trained practitioner using sterile, single-use needles, it is generally considered safe for most people.

Not applicable (a physical therapy, not an herb or supplement) · Manual needling, electroacupuncture, ear (auricular) acupuncture, acupressure, laser acupuncture

An interaction check asks whether these two react with each other — it does not ask whether Acupuncture is a good idea for someone in your situation. Here is what our Acupuncture record says about it on its own.

Acupuncture: dosing

There is no standard "dose" for acupuncture the way there is for a pill. Treatment plans differ by practitioner and condition. If you are not seeing benefit after a reasonable trial, discuss whether to continue.

From our Acupuncture monograph — the full record covers uses, side effects and every documented interaction.

Read the full Acupuncture monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Olmesartan

What Is Olmesartan Used For?

Brand names: Olmesartan Medoxomil, Benicar

Olmesartan treats high blood pressure (hypertension) in adults and in children aged 6 years and older. It can be used alone or combined with other blood pressure medicines. Lowering blood pressure reduces the risk of serious events like stroke and heart attack.

It is available as Benicar and as generic olmesartan medoxomil tablets, including a combination tablet with hydrochlorothiazide. All of these products are used for high blood pressure.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Olmesartan Medoxomil

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (43,574 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Sprue-like enteropathy 4,227 reports
Diarrhea 3,054 reports
Weight decreased 2,719 reports
Dizziness 2,600 reports
Gastrooesophageal reflux disease 2,545 reports
See full Olmesartan drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Acupuncture

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Acupuncture — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.

0Major
0Moderate
0Minor
2,829No known interaction
2,829 No interaction
No interaction 2,829 drugs checked — show the list

We also checked Acupuncture against these medications and found no known interaction in our sources. Open any page to confirm.

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,829 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Acupuncture list.

See the full Acupuncture interactions page
See every supplement checked against Olmesartan Medoxomil, ranked by severity
Evidence & sources

Acupuncture References

The 99 references that drive our Acupuncture monograph and interaction data, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Citations with a link open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

  1. Smith CA, Collins CT, Cyna AM, Crowther CA. Complementary and alternative therapies for pain management in labour. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2006;(4):CD003521. PubMed
  2. Smith, C., Crowther, C., and Beilby, J. Acupuncture to treat nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy: a randomized controlled trial. Birth 2002;29(1):1-9. PubMed
  3. Helmreich, R. J., Shiao, S. Y., and Dune, L. S. Meta-analysis of acustimulation effects on nausea and vomiting in pregnant women. Explore (NY) 2006;2(5):412-421. PubMed
  4. Carlsson, C. P., Axemo, P., Bodin, A., Carstensen, H., Ehrenroth, B., Madegard-Lind, I., and Navander, C. Manual acupuncture reduces hyperemesis gravidarum: a placebo- controlled, randomized, single-blind, crossover study. J Pain Symptom Manage 2000;20(4) PubMed
  5. Habek, D., Barbir, A., Habek, J. C., Janculiak, D., and Bobic-Vukovic, M. Success of acupuncture and acupressure of the Pc 6 acupoint in the treatment of hyperemesis gravidarum. Forsch Komplementarmed Klass Naturheilkd 2004;11(1):20-23. PubMed
  6. Guerreiro da Silva, J. B., Nakamura, M. U., Cordeiro, J. A., and Kulay, L., Jr. Acupuncture for low back pain in pregnancy--a prospective, quasi-randomised, controlled study. Acupunct Med 2004;22(2):60-67. PubMed
  7. Hantoushzadeh, S., Alhusseini, N., and Lebaschi, A. H. The effects of acupuncture during labour on nulliparous women: a randomised controlled trial. Aust N Z J Obstet Gynaecol 2007;47(1):26-30. PubMed
  8. Selmer-Olsen, T., Lydersen, S., and Morkved, S. Does acupuncture used in nulliparous women reduce time from prelabour rupture of membranes at term to active phase of labour? A randomised controlled trial. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand 2007;86(12):1447-1452. PubMed
  9. Craig LB, Rubin LE, Peck JD, Anderson M, Marshall LA, Soules MR. Acupuncture performed before and after embryo transfer: a randomized controlled trial. J Reprod Med. 2014;59(5-6):313-20.
  10. Smith CA, de Lacey S, Chapman M, et al. Effect of Acupuncture vs Sham Acupuncture on Live Births Among Women Undergoing In Vitro Fertilization: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA. 2018;319(19):1990-1998. PubMed
  11. Choi ME, Jung CJ, Won CH, et al. Case report of cutaneous nodule caused by Gordonia bronchialis in an immunocompetent patient after receiving acupuncture. J Dermatol. 2019;46(4):343-346.
  12. Domenicucci M, Marruzzo D, Pesce A, Raco A, Missori P. Acute Spinal Epidural Hematoma After Acupuncture: Personal Case and Literature Review. World Neurosurg. 2017;102:695.e11-695.e14. PubMed
  13. Eghbal K, Ghaffarpasand F. An Acute Cervical Subdural Hematoma as the Complication of Acupuncture: Case Report and Literature Review. World Neurosurg. 2016 Nov;95:616.e11-616.e13. PubMed
  14. Glas AW, Jüttner AM, Kooter AJ. Necrotising fasciitis after acupuncture treatment in an immunocompetent patient. BMJ Case Rep. 2016;2016. pii: bcr2016216405. PubMed
  15. Jian J, Shao Y, Wan L, et al. Autopsy diagnosis of acupuncture-induced bilateral tension pneumothorax using whole-body postmortem computed tomography: A case report. Medicine (Baltimore). 2018;97(44):e13059. PubMed

Medication overviews come from MedlinePlus (NIH); supplement label data from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.

Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Having Acupuncture While Taking Olmesartan Medoxomil: Common Questions

Is it safe to have Acupuncture while taking Olmesartan Medoxomil?
We do not list a known interaction between Acupuncture and Olmesartan Medoxomil. That does not guarantee the combination is risk-free, so confirm with your pharmacist or doctor — especially if you take other medications or have a health condition.
Do Acupuncture and Olmesartan Medoxomil have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to 4 of the same effects. That is not an interaction: neither changes how your body handles the other. It does mean that if one of those effects turns up, it can be harder to tell which one is behind it. They are listed on this page with the source behind each.
Does Olmesartan Medoxomil interact with any supplements?
Yes. Olmesartan Medoxomil has documented interactions with 136 supplements in our database — Acupuncture is not one of them. The Olmesartan Medoxomil interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Where next

Keep Exploring

Acupuncture monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Olmesartan drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Olmesartan Medoxomil supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Olmesartan Medoxomil, ranked by severity Supplement interaction checker Check any supplement or product against your medications Browse medications A–Z Every drug we’ve checked against herbs & supplements References The 99 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Olmesartan Medoxomil and Acupuncture?

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This information is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always check with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, stopping, or combining supplements and medications.