The Wandering Charm Needle

Abstract

Charm needles, otherwise known as susuk, are small pin like objects worn subcutaneously, thought to bring magic powers, bringing health, wealth, beauty, and other benefits to the wearer. These talismans are fairly common in South-East Asia, and are generally thought to be benign entities with few clinical sequela. In fact, no known complications have ever been reported in the literature, as susuk are typically composed of biologically inert precious metals and rarely migrate from their origin. Herein, we detail the first ever reported case of a complication from a charm needle, involving a middle aged Chinese female who had a charm needle subcutaneously inserted into the occipital scalp, which eventually migrated through the skull and into her left cerebellar hemisphere. Our aim is to familiarize readers to this peculiar phenomenon not widely practiced in the western world, and to highlight that charm needles are not as benign as initially conceived. To the best of our knowledge, this case demonstrates the first reported complication of a charm needle in the English medical literature.

Threading the Needle: A Case of Periorbital Gold Threading

“…Placement is most frequently reported in the orofacial region; however, other sites include the hands and wrists, lower extremity, back, spine, chest, genital region, and abdomen. 7,9,11,12 The number of susuk placed varies widely up to an excess of 800, however, typically less than 40 are placed. 10,11 As they are primarily made of gold, susuk are not ferromagnetic and are considered safe for MRI.…”

“…7,9,11,12 The number of susuk placed varies widely up to an excess of 800, however, typically less than 40 are placed. 10,11 As they are primarily made of gold, susuk are not ferromagnetic and are considered safe for MRI. 10 As metallic embedding practices, both susuk and gold thread embedding pose the risk for foreign body reaction as was demonstrated in this case.…”

“…7,9,11,12 The number of susuk placed varies widely up to an excess of 800, however, typically less than 40 are placed. 10,11 As they are primarily made of gold, susuk are not ferromagnetic and are considered safe for MRI. 10…”

The Agony of the Mystical Practice of Susuk: A Case Report

“…Another case study reported pain over the susuk insertion area, in which the susuk was removed; however, it was not concluded whether the susuk was the cause of the pain [ 14 ]. There is also the possibility of penetration or dislodgement into other structures, potentially causing injury to crucial organs or nearby neurovascular structures [ 15 ].…”