Chinese woman swallows eight live frogs to ease back pain
An 82-year-old Chinese woman was hospitalised after swallowing eight live frogs to ease her persistent lower back pain.
The pensioner, who is referred to only by her surname Zhang, said that she was following folklore which said that eating live frogs could help treat the aches she was experiencing from a herniated disc, according to local media reports.
Without letting them in on her plans, she asked her family for help in catching the frogs, which were all smaller than the palm of a hand, in September.
An 82-year-old Chinese woman was hospitalised after swallowing eight live frogs to ease her persistent lower back pain.
The pensioner, who is referred to only by her surname Zhang, said that she was following folklore which said that eating live frogs could help treat the aches she was experiencing from a herniated disc, according to local media reports.
Without letting them in on her plans, she asked her family for help in catching the frogs, which were all smaller than the palm of a hand, in September.
The doctors were able to treat Zhang and she was discharged after two weeks.
Unproven remedies
It is not uncommon for Chinese doctors to treat people who have eaten amphibians as cures. Traditional Chinese medicine often includes the use of animal parts, including amphibians like frogs, snake bile or salamanders to treat various medical conditions.Wu Zhongwen, another doctor from the hospital in Hangzhou, said that he had treated many patients in similar conditions, many of whom were elderly.
In 2018, there was a widely circulated story of a Chinese woman eating five live frogs to treat rheumatism in her legs only to have a massive tapeworm removed from one of her breasts soon after.
In 2021, a man developed a serious parasite infection after consuming five live frogs, believing they would give him strength after he broke two bones.
“We have received several similar patients in recent years,” Wu said. “Besides swallowing frogs, some individuals consume raw snake gall or fish gall, or apply frog skin to their own skin.”
There has also been a trend of eating live tadpoles to treat skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema, while the giant salamander is believed by many to be an effective remedy for diseases like anaemia and dysentery.
Chinese woman swallows eight live frogs to ease back pain
An 82-year-old Chinese woman was hospitalised after swallowing eight live frogs to ease her persistent lower back pain.
