Chinese woman, 82, hospitalised after swallowing live frogs to cure back pain

Hangzhou, China: An 82-year-old woman in eastern China has been hospitalised after swallowing eight live frogs in an attempt to cure chronic lower back pain, in a bizarre case that has sparked nationwide discussion about unscientific folk remedies.

The woman, surnamed Zhang, reportedly consumed the frogs, each no larger than the palm of her hand, over two days after hearing from an acquaintance that doing so could relieve her longstanding herniated disc pain. She initially ate three frogs on the first day and the remaining five on the second, without informing her family of her intentions.

The unconventional treatment quickly led to intense abdominal pain. Zhang's condition deteriorated to the point where she was unable to walk, prompting her son to rush her to a hospital in Hangzhou in early September.

“My mother ate eight live frogs. Now the sharp pain has made her unable to walk,” her son told doctors, according to local media reports.

Doctors conducted a battery of tests and found that Zhang's digestive system had been seriously damaged. A dramatic increase in oxyphil cells, typically associated with parasitic infections and blood disorders, was detected. Further analysis confirmed the presence of parasites, including sparganum, a tapeworm larva commonly linked to the consumption of raw or live amphibians and reptiles.

A hospital spokesperson told media that swallowing frogs had damaged the patient’s digestive system and led to a parasitic infection.

Zhang was treated for two weeks before being discharged. Fortunately, her condition has since stabilised.

According to Wu Zhongwen, a senior doctor at the hospital, this is not an isolated case. He claimed treating several patients over the years who  consumed raw frog gall, snake gall, or applied frog skin as home remedies for various conditions, as per the report.

Unverified home remedies and folk practices remain widespread in some parts of China, often fuelled by misinformation shared on social media.