In a scary incident from central China, a man narrowly escaped death after undergoing acupuncture administered by an unlicensed practitioner. The procedure resulted in both of his lungs being punctured, leading to a critical medical emergency.

The victim, whose surname was Gao, had been diagnosed with a benign tumor under his shoulder blade. In search of alternative treatment, his wife, Zhang, sought the advice of a friend in Henan province who introduced them to a self-styled doctor without any formal medical qualifications. This man rejected the tumor diagnosis, saying Gao had an "air bump," a condition that does not exist, which he claimed could be treated by acupuncture.

The unregistered practitioner conducted the acupuncture procedure in a cybercafe lounge owned by Zhang's friend on February 22. Gao developed serious difficulty breathing and lost control of his body functions soon after the needles were inserted into his back. He was taken to the hospital, where doctors diagnosed him with respiratory failure and pneumothorax—a situation where air seeps into the area between the lung and chest wall, collapsing the lung. Medical experts said that Gao's condition was critical and that any delay in treatment would have been fatal.

At precisely that moment, the unlicensed acupuncturist was willing to accept responsibility for what had happened. He then called it quits and blocked Zhang on social media. Undeterred, Zhang joined forces with Henan TV and even found the man's home. His father there revealed that his son was a "barefoot doctor"—a traditional term in China for rural village health workers who had had no formal training. He confessed that his son possessed no medical license and had acquired acupuncture and massage skills by watching others.

Zhang's friend, who had brought them to the practitioner, admitted that he had received treatment from the same person for minor conditions such as neck pain. He admitted to being aware of the practitioner's absence of formal medical qualification but did not find it worrying at the time.

Chinese law requires that only licensed physicians can conduct medical procedures at approved institutions. A local health commission spokesperson confirmed that they had filed paperwork with the police and public prosecutor to seek legal action against the unlicensed practitioner.

This experience highlights the risks of receiving medical interventions from unlicensed practitioners. Patients are advised to confirm the qualifications of medical practitioners and only receive treatments in regulated medical institutions.

(Input from various sources)

(Rehash/Sakshi Thakar/MSM)