In a startling and highly unusual case, an 82-year-old woman in eastern China sought to relieve chronic lower back pain by swallowing live frogs, following a local folk remedy.
Known only by her surname Zhang, she consumed eight small frogs over two days, believing this would ease her herniated disc pain.
Initially experiencing mild discomfort, her condition rapidly worsened, leaving her unable to walk due to severe abdominal pain.
Admitted to Zhejiang University No. 1 Affiliated Hospital, tests revealed, including sparganum, a worm commonly found in amphibians.
Doctors warned that such traditional practices, while culturally significant, are medically unsafe, often resulting in serious complications. Zhang recovered after two weeks of treatment, highlighting the dangers of unverified remedies.
Elderly Woman Hospitalised After Consuming Live Frogs for Back Pain
The woman, known only by her surname Zhang, was admitted to Zhejiang University No. 1 Affiliated Hospital in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, in early September, suffering from severe abdominal pain.
Reports from the South China Morning Post, citing Hangzhou Daily, revealed the extraordinary cause behind her condition.
Zhang’s son told doctors, “My mother ate eight live frogs. Now the sharp pain has made her unable to walk.”
Zhang had been living with a herniated disc, a condition that often causes persistent back pain, restricted movement, and numbness.
Believing that consuming live frogs would relieve her pain, she instructed her family to capture frogs for her.
Over two days, she swallowed three frogs on the first day and five on the second, each smaller than the size of an adult palm.
Hospital Tests Reveal Dangerous Parasite Infection
Initially, Zhang experienced only mild discomfort. However, her pain gradually intensified, prompting her to confess to her family what she had done. She was then taken to hospital for examination.
Doctors ruled out the possibility of a tumour, but tests revealed a high number of oxophil cells, which can indicate parasitic infections or blood disorders.
Further investigations confirmed that Zhang had contracted parasites, including sparganum, a parasitic worm commonly found in amphibians.
Doctors Warn About the Dangers of Unverified Folk Remedies
Dr Wu Zhongwen, a senior physician at the hospital, explained that Zhang’s case is not isolated. “We have seen several similar cases over the years. Beyond swallowing frogs, some patients consume raw snake or fish gall, or even apply frog skin to their bodies,” he stated.
Most of these patients are elderly and often conceal their health problems, seeking medical attention only when their condition becomes severe.
Folk remedies such as applying frog skin to treat skin disorders have no scientific basis. Instead, they can allow parasites to enter the body, potentially causing vision impairment, intracranial infections, and even life-threatening complications.
Following two weeks of hospital treatment, Zhang was discharged. The doctors emphasised that her case serves as a cautionary example of the dangers of unverified traditional remedies.
Medical professionals recommend treating back pain through approved methods, including physiotherapy, prescribed medications, and, where necessary, surgical intervention.
Understanding the Tradition Behind Live Frog Remedies
The practice of consuming live frogs or using animal parts as remedies has long been a part of certain rural traditions in China. It is traditionally believed that the vital energy of live animals can transfer healing properties to humans.
However, modern medical research consistently shows that such practices are ineffective and often harmful.
Elderly individuals are particularly at risk, as chronic ailments combined with reliance on folk remedies can result in severe complications before professional medical care is sought.
While folk remedies hold meaning and history, the dangers they pose when used without evidence demand action.
To protect public health, societies must invest in education, accessible care, regulation, and cultural dialogue, so that remedies heal rather than harm.
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