Can eating frogs reduce back pain? Chinese woman, 82, ends up in hospital after swallowing 8 live frogs

A woman in Northern China went viral after the story of her eating live frogs made headlines. The 82-year-old, who went by her last name, Zhang, ate the frogs because she was in pain from a herniated disc. She heard Chinese folklore, which claimed that eating the live animal could supposedly reduce the pain.

It is to be noted that eating frogs does not reduce pain, as there is no scientific evidence that supports the claim. Zhang instructed her family to catch small frogs without revealing her plan to them. In early September 2025, she ate three of them, which were smaller than an adult's palm.

Immediately, she noticed abdominal pain. However, the next day, she ate five more. Her pain increased, and she could not walk anymore. Zhang was admitted to a hospital in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province.

The doctors initially speculated that Zhang had a tumor. However, the increased amount of oxyphil cells in her body made them realize that she had a parasitic infection.

Zhang then said the truth and was treated at the hospital for two weeks. Afterward, she recovered and was sent home.

A doctor from the hospital told media outlets that Zhang's digestive system was damaged and she had the parasite sparganum in her body.

"Swallowing frogs has damaged the patient's digestive system and resulted in some parasites being present in her body, including sparganum," they stated.

Similar to eating frogs, traditional Chinese medicine advises people to consume animal-derived items

Traditional Chinese medicine has been using medicinal herbs and animal-based remedies for centuries. The various remedies include bear bile, deer antler velvet, cockroaches, snake bile, and cobra venom.

While there is not enough scientific evidence to prove the remedies work, the alternative medicine has a big following.

Wu Zhongwen, a senior doctor from the Hangzhou hospital, told South China Morning Post that mostly old patients end up getting these animal-based remedies.

They don't share health concerns with their family, and end up in hospitals.

Wu Zhongwen stated that such remedies could be life-threatening or cause vision impairment and intracranial infection.

"We have received several similar patients in recent years. Besides swallowing frogs, some individuals consume raw snake gall or fish gall, or apply frog skin to their own skin... It could allow parasites to enter the body, resulting in vision impairment, intracranial infection, and even life-threatening conditions," the doctor said.

The news outlet reported that a young mother in Zhejiang province used lead acetate liquid on her six-month-old daughter's hands to treat her eczema. She read about it online.

The child ended up with lead poisoning.

In other news, another Chinese man got infected with spinal cord parasites after he ate raw snake gallbladders and medicinal wine soaked in raw snake skin.

South China Morning Post reported on March 23, 2024, that he ate animal-based products 15 years ago to reduce his "inner heat."

He was treated after taking anti-parasitic drugs and undergoing surgery. Doctors shared that he could have become paralyzed if he had ignored his condition.