Man Escapes Death After Unlicensed Acupuncture Treatment in China

A man in Henan province, China, had a close brush with death after receiving acupuncture from an unlicensed practitioner. He was seeking alternative treatment for benign tumors, encouraged by his wife’s suggestions.

This practitioner misidentified the man’s tumor as a harmless “air bump,” suggesting that acupuncture would be a beneficial treatment. The man, identified as Gao, underwent his first session in a cybercafe owned by a friend on February 22. Shortly after the needles were inserted, Gao experienced severe difficulty breathing and lost motor control. He was quickly taken to the hospital, where doctors discovered he was suffering from respiratory failure due to a punctured lung. Medical professionals indicated that any further delay in treatment could have been fatal.

Initially, the unqualified practitioner admitted responsibility but later vanished and blocked Gao’s communication attempts online. In a bid for help, Gao’s wife, Chang, reached out to Henan TV and visited the practitioner’s home. There, she learned from his father that the man had no medical license and had learned his skills by observing others.

A friend of Chang noted that he had previously received several treatments from the practitioner, claiming to have been “healed” of various issues, including neck pain. Under Chinese regulations, performing medical procedures without proper licensing can lead to significant prison time for individuals who cause severe harm.

The incident sparked outrage on social media, highlighting the couple’s and their friend’s lack of caution regarding medical advice.