Acupuncture is often used, and recommended, as part of a larger health care program. For example, my patients at Lahey Clinic routinely will receive a combination of acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, manual therapy, dietary recommendations, and exercise instruction. This is especially so for people with overall body aches, where a combination of acupuncture, at least with manual therapy, and perhaps also herbal medicines, is often given. Yes, there are a few risks. They are relatively minor, for the most part.
Acupuncture needles do penetrate the skin, so they can cause bleeding.
This bleeding is generally very little. We routinely hold a Q-tip in hand in the event of a tiny drop of blood. It's also possible to have a small bruise, if a drop of blood leaks but does not come to the surface. Some patients can experience temporary discomfort or irritation at acupuncture sites following treatment. This usually resolves within five minutes.