A routine X-ray led doctors to a surprising discovery when they examined the knees of a 65-year-old woman suffering from severe joint pain. Hidden deep within the tissue were hundreds of tiny gold needles. The woman, from South Korea, had struggled with osteoarthritis for years after conventional treatments failed to ease her pain and instead caused stomach problems.

Seeking relief, she turned to acupuncture, a traditional therapy commonly used across Asia. The treatment involves inserting thin needles into specific points of the body to reduce pain or improve health. In her case, doctors said the gold needles had been intentionally left inside the knee area to provide ongoing stimulation and long-term relief.

Medical experts warn that leaving foreign objects in the body can create serious complications. Dr. Ali Guermazi explained that the body often reacts to foreign materials with inflammation, scar tissue, infection, or abscesses. Metal fragments can also interfere with X-rays and make MRI scans dangerous, as strong magnetic forces could potentially shift the needles and damage nearby blood vessels or tissue.

Despite the risks, acupuncture and gold thread implants remain popular treatments for arthritis in some countries, though scientific evidence supporting their effectiveness is limited. The woman’s case, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, has become a striking reminder that alternative therapies may carry hidden dangers alongside their promised benefits.