A bizarre incident in China has left many stunned after an elderly woman swallowed live frogs to treat her back pain, only to end up hospitalised with serious infections.
Swallowed 8 live frogs over 2 days
According to SCMP, an 82-year-old woman, surnamed Zhang, from Hangzhou, Zhejiang, followed an old folk remedy which claimed that eating live frogs could cure her lower back pain.
Without telling her family why, she asked them to catch eight small frogs, each smaller than the size of an adult palm.
She then swallowed three frogs on the first day and five more the next day – all alive.
Condition worsened after a few days
At first, Zhang only felt mild stomach discomfort but over the next few days, her pain became unbearable, and she was unable to walk.
She only revealed to her family that she had eaten live frogs after her condition worsened, leading them to rush her to Zhejiang University No. 1 Affiliated Hospital for treatment in early September.
Doctors at the hospital ruled out a tumour but found a rise in oxyphil cells, which may signal parasitic infections or blood disorders.
Further tests confirmed that Zhang was infected with parasites, including sparganum, after the frogs damaged her digestive system and allowed the parasites to enter her body.
Treated and discharged after two weeks
Zhang remained in the hospital for two weeks before being discharged after receiving treatment for the infection.
According to Wu Zhongwen, a senior doctor at the hospital, such cases are not rare, as they often receive patients who follow similar unproven remedies.
Some eat raw snake or fish gall, while others apply frog skin to treat skin diseases, but Dr Wu warned that these beliefs can be harmful and even life-threatening.
He added that many elderly people only seek medical help when their condition becomes serious.
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