South Korean Woman Found With Hundreds of Gold Needles Embedded in Her Knees

A 65-year-old woman from South Korea discovered an unusual source of her persistent knee pain: hundreds of tiny gold acupuncture needles embedded deep within her tissue. The woman, who had long suffered from osteoarthritis—a condition where joint cartilage and bones deteriorate, causing stiffness and discomfort—turned to acupuncture after conventional treatments, including pain relievers and anti-inflammatory medications, failed to ease her suffering and instead caused stomach upset.

According to a report published last week in the New England Journal of Medicine, the woman’s acupuncture therapy involved inserting gold needles and leaving them in her knees for ongoing stimulation, a technique believed by some practitioners to provide continuous relief. Acupuncture, a form of alternative medicine, involves placing needles at specific points on the body with the aim of reducing pain or treating a variety of conditions.

However, medical experts caution that leaving any foreign objects inside the body can have serious consequences. Dr. Ali Guermazi, a radiology professor at Boston University, explained that retained objects can trigger inflammation, infection, and abscesses, and they can obscure anatomical details in imaging tests like X-rays. “The human body wants to expel foreign objects,” he said, describing how the body forms fibrous tissue and inflammation around such items as a defense mechanism.

Guermazi also warned that patients with embedded needles face restrictions for certain procedures, such as MRIs, because the needles could shift and damage blood vessels. Despite these risks, the practice of leaving gold threads or needles in joints is relatively common in parts of Asia as a treatment for arthritis, even though there is little scientific evidence to prove its effectiveness.

Acupuncture is increasingly popular worldwide. In the United States alone, a 2007 survey by the National Institutes of Health estimated that over 3 million adults and 150,000 children had undergone acupuncture treatment. Yet, cases like this serve as a stark reminder that alternative therapies—especially those involving permanent implants—can carry unforeseen dangers, highlighting the importance of medical supervision and informed choices.