How safe is acupuncture?

I've looked at lots of sites on the web and there doesn't seem to be much information on exactly how safe acupuncture is and what the harmful side effects of it are, can anyone point me to a good website or give me some info? Are there any permanent side effects?

Amazingly acupuncture seems to be treated in some areas of western medicine as a ghost, a sort of non existent entity. In Britain it's classed as alternative or complimentary where as in China for hundreds and hundreds of years it was seen as the primary treatment along with herbs for most ailments. Lately though, there has been a growing number of studies validating many aspects of the effects of acupuncture on patients. The main issue involved in this appears to be the wests inability to fit the chinese health theories into a western mind frame. And unfortunately this attitude of "if it doesn't fit it can't be right" has delayed many people from gaining the benefits that acupuncture can provide. hopefully as more of these studies become known then the western medical approach can really begin to utilise acupuncture in patient treatment and wrench itself free from the aristotlean thinking of good, bad, yes, no and open up to a more (W)holistic approach to healing based on the best of western and eastern thinking. Side effects of acupuncture may include such things as smiling, feeling good and general happiness. There was one reported death due to acupuncture which occured when a patient had a needle inserted near the base of the sternum. Unfortunately they had a very rare condition that caused a hole to develop in the sternum and the needle went through and pierced a lung. The condition was unknown to the patient and the acupuncturist. Acupuncture can be painful, but then so can be many western medical interventions. Pain or lack of serves as no value to measure a treatment by. Effectiveness does. Acupuncture has been used for centuries and appears to be growing in usage in the west. Contact the British Acupuncture Council for more information. Or google them for the web page.

my GP is all for acupuncture, he recommended it for my back and i can tell you its worked wonders here.
go and visit a local acupuncturist who will alleviate all your fears and answer all the questions you may have
good luck x
if you dont use hammer and nails its fine!
It is very safe: Have had acupuncture on numerous occasions and aside from one or two minor irritations on the skin where the needles are inserted...no other side effects.

Try here for info: http://www.acupuncture.org.uk/
It is completely safe if you have a properly trained practitioner. Try to find people in your area who have tried it and can recommend somebody. There is a good documentary called Alternative Medicine - The Evidence: Acupuncture. You can probably find it somewhere on the internet. Good luck!
Go to a registered practitioner and you will have no problem. I do think however that you do need to have faith in this form a medicine for it to work effectively.
Perhaps as safe as woodoo.