Chinese Granny Rushed to Hospital After Swallowing Eight Live Frogs to Ease Back Pain
An 82-year-old woman from Hangzhou, China, was rushed to hospital after swallowing eight live frogs in a desperate attempt to relieve her chronic back pain.
The woman, identified only as Zhang, consumed the frogs raw over two days, believing the folk remedy would ease her herniated disc.
Instead, she developed severe abdominal pain and difficulty walking, prompting her family to seek emergency medical help at Zhejiang University’s Affiliated Hospital.
Doctors ruled out tumors but discovered elevated oxyphil cells — a marker often linked to blood disorders and parasitic infections.
Further tests confirmed the presence of sparganum, a parasite commonly found in amphibians, which had invaded her digestive system.
The frogs, each smaller than a human palm, had introduced the parasite into her body, causing internal damage and intense discomfort.
Zhang underwent a two-week treatment regimen and was later discharged in stable condition.
Her son revealed that she had taken the frogs without informing her family, relying on ancient beliefs that live frogs could heal physical ailments.
According to Express, similar cases have surfaced in recent years, with elderly patients resorting to ingesting frogs, applying frog skin, or consuming raw fish and snake gall often without medical supervision.
Health experts warn that these practices, though rooted in tradition, pose serious risks.
Ingesting raw amphibians or reptiles can lead to parasitic infections, brain damage, and even vision loss.
Despite lacking scientific support, such remedies continue to gain traction online, especially among vulnerable individuals seeking alternative cures.
