A Chinese man narrowly escaped death after undergoing acupuncture with an unlicensed practitioner who falsely claimed to treat his non-cancerous tumor.
The man, identified by his surname Gao, suffers from fibroma, a benign tumor with fibrous tissue on his back. He was introduced to the unqualified practitioner in Henan province by his wife’s friend. During the session, the so-called “doctor” dismissed Gao’s condition as merely an “air bump” and proceeded to insert multiple needles into his body.
Shortly after, Gao experienced severe breathing difficulties and was rushed to the hospital, where doctors diagnosed him with respiratory failure and pneumothorax — a condition where air leaks into the space between the lung and chest wall. Medical staff revealed that Gao could have died had he arrived at the hospital just a minute later.
Hospital staff have submitted documents to authorities, and an investigation is underway to bring the fake practitioner to justice. According to the South China Morning Post, the man’s father later confirmed that his son was not a licensed doctor but had merely learned acupuncture by observing others.
Under Chinese law, performing medical treatments without a license, especially those causing severe harm, can result in a prison sentence ranging from three to 10 years.
