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A man in Henan, China, almost lost his life after receiving acupuncture treatment from an unlicensed practitioner.
Seeking alternative care for a benign tumor, the man was misdiagnosed and told acupuncture could help.
The treatment led to severe complications, including respiratory failure and pneumothorax.
A man in Henan province, China, named Mr Gao narrowly escaped death after seeking acupuncture treatment from an unlicensed practitioner to address a benign tumor, as reported by the South China Morning Post. Mr Gao, diagnosed with a fibroma under his shoulder blade, was referred to the practitioner by his wife, Mrs Zhang. The unlicensed practitioner misdiagnosed the tumor as an “air bump” and recommended acupuncture as a treatment.
The acupuncture session took place in a cybercafe on February 22, where Mr Gao experienced severe breathing difficulties and loss of bodily control after the needles were inserted into his back. He was quickly taken to a hospital, where doctors diagnosed him with respiratory failure and pneumothorax, indicating his lungs had been punctured. Medical experts emphasized that any delay in treatment could have been fatal.
According to the SCMP, the unlicensed practitioner initially promised to take responsibility but later disappeared and blocked Mrs Zhang online. Upon visiting the practitioner’s home, Mr Gao’s father revealed that his son was a “barefoot doctor” without a medical license. The father mentioned that his son learned massage and acupuncture by observing others.
A friend of Zhang introduced the practitioner to the couple, citing successful treatments for various ailments like neck pains. Under Chinese law, individuals performing medical procedures without a license and causing harm to a patient’s health can face imprisonment ranging from three to ten years. Social media users expressed shock at the ignorance displayed by the couple and their friend.
