Herb & supplement monograph

Acupuncture Drug Interactions, Uses, Effectiveness, Safety & More

Medically reviewed by Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS ·Updated July 2026

What is this page for?

First and foremost: how Acupuncture interacts with medications. The heart of this page is the interaction list — every drug Acupuncture is known to interact with, and how serious each one is.

But these pages have grown well beyond that into a full monograph — what Acupuncture is, what people use it for and how strong the evidence is, its safety and side effects, and answers to the questions we’re asked most — written and reviewed by the clinical staff at HelloPharmacist. It’s educational information from our licensed clinical databases, not medical advice, and we don’t sell or endorse products. Our editorial policy

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Reviewed by licensed pharmacists Sourced from Natural Medicines

On this page

Interaction report

Drugs that interact with Acupuncture

0 medications have a known interaction with Acupuncture, graded by severity. Select any drug for the full evidence-based detail.

We don’t currently list any known drug interactions for Acupuncture. This doesn’t guarantee none exist — always confirm with your pharmacist before combining supplements with your medications.

Read The List Like a Pharmacist

What Severity, Likelihood & Evidence Mean

Severity — How Serious It Can Be

Major. Clinically significant; generally best avoided, or used only under direct professional supervision.
Moderate. May need monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separating the times you take each one.
Minor. Generally not clinically significant, but still worth noting and mentioning to your pharmacist.
No known interaction. Checked against our sources with nothing documented — not the same as proven safety.

Likelihood — How Well It’s Documented

Likely. Well-controlled human studies have demonstrated the likely existence of this interaction
Probable. Interaction has not been documented in well-controlled studies, however, the interaction has been demonstrated in some small human studies or in controlled animal studies in conjunction with multiple case reports.
Possible. Interaction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists
Unlikely. Interaction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans.

Where This Data Comes From

Interaction records are evidence-graded and sourced from the Natural Medicines database (TRC Healthcare), the same reference used by pharmacists and hospitals.
Each drug listed above links to the full report for that exact Acupuncture combination — clinical detail, likelihood, evidence level, and citations.
Content is reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.

Monograph

Acupuncture: Uses, Safety & Side Effects

Medically reviewed by Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS · Reviewed July 2026 ·

The bottom line

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.

Part used: Not applicable (a physical therapy, not an herb or supplement)
Common forms: Manual needling, electroacupuncture, ear (auricular) acupuncture, acupressure, laser acupuncture

People commonly use it for

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

Popular and traditional uses — not proof it works. See “Uses & effectiveness” below for the evidence.

Safety at a glance

OverallUse caution

Generally safe when performed by a licensed practitioner with sterile, single-use needles.

PregnancyPossibly Safe

When used appropriately at most acupoints and performed with sterile needles. Some clinical research shows that acupuncture has been used during pregn...

Read the full pregnancy detail

BreastfeedingPossibly Safe

When used appropriately at most acupoints and performed with sterile needles. Some clinical research shows that acupuncture has been used during pregn...

Read the full breastfeeding detail

Pregnancy & breastfeeding ratings are from Natural Medicines (Therapeutic Research Center). Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

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Overview

Acupuncture is a healing practice that comes from traditional Chinese medicine and has been used for thousands of years. It is not an herb or a supplement that you swallow. Instead, a trained practitioner inserts very thin, sterile needles into specific points on the body. The needles are usually left in place for a short time and may be gently moved, warmed, or connected to a mild electric current (called electroacupuncture).

In traditional thinking, acupuncture is meant to balance the flow of energy, sometimes called qi, along pathways in the body. Today, acupuncture is offered in many countries as part of "integrative" or complementary care, often alongside standard medical treatment. People most commonly seek it out for pain and for general wellness.

How it works

Researchers are still working out exactly how acupuncture might produce effects. In traditional terms, it is meant to restore balance in the body's energy flow. In modern scientific terms, several ideas have been proposed.

Studies (mostly in the lab and in animals, plus some in people) suggest that needling may stimulate nerves and trigger the release of natural pain-relieving chemicals, such as endorphins. It may also affect signals in the spinal cord and brain that control how we sense pain. Some of the benefit people feel may come from relaxation, attention from a caring practitioner, and expectation — what scientists call the placebo response. These mechanisms are not fully proven, and the exact way acupuncture works remains uncertain.

Effectiveness

Does Acupuncture work?

Here’s what the research actually shows for each use — graded by Natural Medicines and reviewed by Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD.

Evidence overview · 138 uses evaluated

13 Possibly effective 3 Leans ineffective 122 Insufficient evidence

How to read these evidence grades

Natural Medicines’ 7-point scale. We show each rating’s label word-for-word.

1EffectiveStrong, consistent evidence it works.

2Likely EffectiveGood evidence, though not yet conclusive.

3Possibly EffectiveSome evidence suggests a benefit.

4Possibly IneffectiveSome evidence it may not help.

5Likely IneffectiveFairly strong evidence it doesn’t help.

6IneffectiveStrong evidence it doesn’t work.

7Insufficient Reliable Evidence to RateToo little research to say either way.

Possibly Effective Aromatase inhibitor-induced arthralgia