Who is Yong De Lin? NYC acupuncturist faces 25 years in prison for causing woman's lungs to collapse after 16 repeated therapies
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Yong De Lin, 66, an unlicensed acupuncturist who nearly killed a woman in Queens, is facing up to 25 years in prison.
Lin allegedly practiced acupuncture without a license and caused a female client's lungs to collapse, according to a news release by the Queens District Attorney’s office.
How did Shujuan Jiang's Lungs collapse during acupuncture?
Shujuan Jiang, 63, visited C&W Medical on Union Street in Flushing for stomach and back pain on May 10, 2022.
She met Lin and received acupuncture treatments from him. She again visited the clinic later again on May 16.
Then she continued to visit for treatment for several months between May 18 and October 28, 2022, receiving a total of 16 sessions, NBC New York reported.
Shujuan Jiang rushed to hospital after acupuncture session
On her last visit, she felt unwell after the treatment. She was given additional acupuncture and a cupping treatment.
But on her way home, she felt shortness of breath and collapsed on the sidewalk.
She was rushed to a hospital where doctors found that both of her lungs collapsed due to the acupuncture therapy. She had to undergo emergency surgery to save her life, the report mentioned.
Yong De Lin, 66, was arraigned on Monday, September 18, on a four-count indictment charging him with assault, reckless endangerment, and unlicensed practice of a profession. If convicted, he faces 25 years in prison.
Yong De Lin never applied for an acupuncture license
Lin is not a licensed acupuncturist and has never applied for the required state licensure, the district attorney’s office said.
They urged anyone who has received acupuncture treatments from Lin to contact the Elder Fraud unit at 718-286-6578.
District attorney Melinda Katz said that receiving health care from an unlicensed professional can mean the difference between life and death.
“As alleged, the defendant was not licensed, nor had even bothered to apply for licensure, and he very nearly killed his patient,” she said.
What is acupuncture?
Acupuncture is a type of traditional Chinese medicine that uses very thin needles to stimulate specific points in the body, as per the Mayo Clinic.
It can help with pain relief and other health problems. Many people also use it to improve their well-being and reduce stress.
It is claimed that by inserting needles into specific points along the energy pathway in the body called meridians, acupuncture practitioners believe that energy flow will re-balance.
Some Western practitioners differ. They think that they are locations where nerves, muscles, and connective tissue can be stimulated which increases the production of natural painkillers in the body.
The therapy is done for a variety of conditions, ranging from dental pain to menstrual cramps and tennis elbow, besides for respiratory allergic disorders, as per the outlet.