A routine X-ray revealed a shocking discovery when doctors examined the knees of a 65-year-old woman suffering from severe joint pain. Hundreds of tiny gold needles were embedded deep in her tissue, a finding that surprised medical professionals.
The woman, from South Korea, had been struggling with osteoarthritis for years, a condition that breaks down cartilage and bone in the joints, causing stiffness, swelling, and chronic discomfort.
When conventional treatments such as painkillers and anti-inflammatory medications failed to relieve her pain — and caused additional side effects like stomach issues — she turned to acupuncture, a popular alternative therapy in Asia. This traditional practice involves inserting thin needles into specific points on the body to alleviate pain or treat illness. In her case, doctors noted that the gold needles were intentionally left in her knees as part of a treatment designed to provide continuous stimulation to the affected area.
While some proponents claim that this technique offers long-lasting benefits, experts caution that leaving foreign objects in the body carries serious risks. Dr. Ali Guermazi, a radiology professor at Boston University, explained that the body reacts to foreign materials with inflammation and fibrous tissue formation, and the presence of metal fragments can trigger infection or even abscesses.
Medical imaging can also be affected. Needles lodged in tissue can obscure anatomical details on X-rays, complicating diagnosis. Even more concerning, patients with metal fragments should avoid MRIs because the magnetic field could cause the needles to shift, potentially puncturing blood vessels and causing life-threatening damage.
Despite these dangers, acupuncture remains widely practiced, particularly for joint pain. In countries like South Korea, gold thread implants and needle insertions are considered routine for arthritis, though scientific evidence supporting their effectiveness is limited. The procedure has also gained some popularity in the United States, with millions of adults and tens of thousands of children receiving acupuncture treatments, according to the National Institutes of Health.
The South Korean woman’s case, recently documented in the New England Journal of Medicine, serves as a cautionary tale about extreme alternative therapies. While the needles were intended to help, her X-rays highlight the potential dangers of unconventional treatments. Doctors emphasize that patients should carefully weigh risks before pursuing such therapies, as even seemingly harmless interventions can result in serious complications.
