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Trending News: In a shocking incident, an 82-year-old woman from eastern China swallowed eight small live frogs in an attempt to cure her lower back pain, following a local folk remedy. The woman, identified only by her surname Zhang, was admitted to a hospital in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, in early September after suffering from severe abdominal pain, according to reports from Chinese English-language newspapers.
Zhang had been living with a herniated disc for a long time and believed that eating live frogs could ease her pain. Without sharing her reasons, she asked her family to catch frogs for her. On the first day, she swallowed three frogs, and the next day, she ate five more, each smaller than an adult’s palm. At first, Zhang only felt slight discomfort, but the pain in her abdomen soon worsened. When her condition became unbearable, she finally told her family about what she had done.
Doctors at Zhejiang University No. 1 Affiliated Hospital examined Zhang and confirmed there was no tumor. However, test results showed a high number of oxyphil cells something often linked to parasitic infections or blood disorders. Further tests revealed that Zhang was indeed infected with parasites. One of the hospital’s doctors explained, “Swallowing frogs damaged the patient’s digestive system and caused parasitic infections, including sparganum.” After two weeks of treatment, Zhang’s condition improved, and she was discharged from the hospital.
According to Dr. Wu Zhongwen, a senior doctor at the same hospital, similar cases have been seen before. “We have treated several patients who followed old remedies like eating raw snake or fish gall, or applying frog skin on their bodies,” he said. Dr. Wu mentioned that most of these patients are elderly and tend to hide their health problems, only seeking medical help when their situation becomes serious. He warned that such traditional practices can be harmful. “For example, using frog skin for skin problems has no medical proof. Instead, it can lead to parasite infections, vision loss, brain infections, and even life-threatening illnesses,” he added.