We present a case of 63-year-old male patient who suffered from the right upper anterior chest wall pain and swelling. They developed after acupuncture for controlling dizziness. Chest computed tomography (CT) demonstrated abscess formation in the right sternoclavicular joint space and destruction of medial tip of the right clavicle and sternum. The patient had undergone incision and drainage procedure and treated with intravenous antibiotics, but symptom persisted. He was diagnosed with osteomyelitis by whole body bone scan, and underwent surgical resection of manubrium of the sternum, proximal end of the right clavicle and costal cartilage of the right first rib. To prevent such a severe complication, we suggest all acupuncture practice should be done under strict infection control guidelines and clinical governance should require practitioners to consider the range and frequency of complications seriously. (Clinical Pain 2016;15:38-41)

KeywordsAcupuncture, Osteomyelitis