Disastrous Complication Caused Indirectly by the Success of Battlefield Acupuncture

Background: Battlefield acupuncture (BFA) is an easy-to-learn type of auricular acupuncture that is being used increasingly and that has been shown to be effective for short-term reduction of pain. Many patients return for repeated applications of the semipermanent needles and ask if permanent earrings inserted in these points would lead to longer-lasting reduction in their pain. Case: A patient sought to have permanent earrings placed at his BFA auricular points. This 47-year-old man was referred for BFA for his chronic pain. He had several underlying health conditions. The BFA gave this patient good pain relief, but he had difficulty traveling to the VA center; this was why he wished to have the permanent earrings. Results: This patient had earrings implanted on his own where he thought the correct BFA points were. Hence, he developed a serious infection and inflammation that were difficult to treat. Conclusions: The patient tried to have permanent earrings, but they produced very deleterious effects. No recommendation for such implantations can be made at this time.