Chinese Man Hospitalised With Collapsed Lungs After Acupuncture Session

NDTV

14-05-2025

In a concerning incident from Henan province, China, a man identified as Mr Gao narrowly escaped death after undergoing acupuncture treatment from an unlicensed practitioner to address a benign tumour, according to the South China Morning Post. Diagnosed with a fibroma beneath his shoulder blade, Mr Gao sought alternative treatment through a referral from his wife, Mrs Zhang. The practitioner, lacking formal medical qualifications, misdiagnosed the tumour as an "air bump" and claimed it could be treated with acupuncture.
The initial session took place on February 22 in the lounge of a cybercafe owned by a friend. Shortly after needles were inserted into his back, Mr Gao experienced severe breathing difficulties and lost control of his bodily functions. He was rushed to a hospital, where doctors diagnosed him with respiratory failure and pneumothorax-conditions indicating his lungs had been punctured. Medical professionals stated that any further delay could have been fatal.
According to SCMP, Initially, the unqualified doctor said he would take responsibility but later disappeared and blocked Zhang online. Zhang sought help from Henan TV and went to the man's home. There, the man's father revealed that his son was a so-called barefoot doctor, meaning he did not have a medical licence.
He said his son learnt massage and acupuncture from watching other people do it.
Zhang's friend said he introduced the man to the couple because he had received multiple treatments from him, and he had successfully "cured" his problems, such as neck pains.
As per Chinese law, a person who performs medical procedures without a licence and causes serious harm to a patient's health can face three to 10 years in jail. Social media was shocked by the ignorance of the couple and their friend.