Doctors in South Korea were astonished when they discovered that a 65-year-old woman’s knees were filled with hundreds of tiny gold acupuncture needles, apparently left there intentionally during treatment for osteoarthritis.
Needles Left After Acupuncture Sessions
The woman, who had been diagnosed with osteoarthritis, initially received painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs, but they failed to ease her pain and caused stomach discomfort. Seeking alternative relief, she turned to acupuncture and is believed to have undergone sessions at least once a week.
In traditional acupuncture, needles are inserted at specific points on the body to stimulate energy flow and relieve pain. In this case, however, the practitioner reportedly left the needles inside the tissue around the woman’s knees, possibly to provide continued stimulation long after the sessions ended.
X-rays later revealed the astonishing sight of hundreds of metallic fragments embedded in both knees. The case was reported in the New England Journal of Medicine and later covered by LiveScience.
Potential Health Risks
While acupuncture is widely used for pain management, leaving foreign objects in the body is considered highly risky. According to Dr Ali Guermazi, professor of radiology at Boston University, the retained needles could cause inflammation, infections, and abscesses. They also complicate medical imaging, as their presence makes X-rays difficult to interpret.
Even more concerning, Dr Guermazi noted, is that such patients cannot undergo MRI scans, since the powerful magnets used could cause the needles to shift inside the body, potentially damaging arteries or other vital structures.
A Rare Medical Case
The woman’s unusual case highlights both the popularity of alternative medicine in South Korea and the potential dangers of unconventional techniques. While some practitioners may believe that embedding needles prolongs therapeutic effects, experts caution that it introduces serious medical risks that outweigh any possible benefit.