A 65-year-old woman in South Korea went to the hospital expecting routine arthritis tests, only to be met with an extraordinary discovery. Instead of the usual signs of joint wear, her X-ray revealed that her knees were filled with hundreds of tiny gold needles, a finding that astonished both the patient and her doctors. What was intended as therapy had left behind an unexpected medical mystery.
The woman had been living with osteoarthritis, a condition that causes pain, stiffness, and swelling as cartilage breaks down. Conventional medication had brought her little relief, so she turned to acupuncture, a respected form of treatment with long traditions in Asia. Unlike the standard method, where needles are removed after each session, this variation involved leaving gold needles inside the body, with the belief they would provide continuous healing.
While the treatment may have been offered in hopes of easing her discomfort, doctors cautioned that leaving metal in the body poses risks. Foreign objects can trigger inflammation or infection, and metal fragments can interfere with medical imaging, making it more difficult to spot other health issues. Experts emphasize that while acupuncture has recognized benefits, unconventional methods should always be considered with care.
Perhaps the greatest concern arises if a patient with such implants ever requires an MRI. The powerful magnetic fields used during the scan could shift the metal inside the body, potentially causing dangerous injuries. This rare case, reported in the New England Journal of Medicine, serves as a reminder that traditional practices should always be balanced with modern medical safety.