Man injected himself with his semen for 18 months to cure back pain before discovery

A medical professional has provided advice following the case of a man who chose to inject himself with his own semen to help with back pain.

In trying economic times such as these, many are forced to cook up home remedies to deal with persistent health issues, with medical care often costing an arm and a leg.

But while it's always advised that you seek advice about your health from professionals, one Irishman decided to take matters into his own hands... and more.

He had back pain, and in an unorthodox method, he injected himself with semen to deal with the discomfort, for whatever reason.

The man did this for 18 months before finding himself in hospital with severe onset lower back pain.

Doctors soon uncovered that his back pain wasn't new, and that he had been self-medicating, if you can call it that, for a year and a half.

The man injected himself with his own sperm to remedy his back pain. Credit: Irish Medical Journal

What did the medical examination reveal?

While examining the man, they realized that his arm was red and swollen; an X-ray revealed that he had a buildup of semen in the muscle where he repeatedly injected himself.

He would be diagnosed with subcutaneous emphysema, which is a rare condition that is caused by air getting trapped under your skin, hence the swelling.

The man needed medical attention for his back and, once the pain lessened, his arm.

However, he discharged himself from hospital before having his arm cared for, according to reports.

Doctor's advice on the pain

Dr. Asim Cheema, an Internal Medicine and Cardiology Specialist at Your Doctors Online, spoke to UNILAD about the case.

He explained: "This is a deeply concerning example of how misinformation and desperation can drive individuals to take extreme, dangerous measures to manage chronic pain.

"Injecting non-sterile bodily fluids like semen, particularly without medical supervision, is not only ineffective but also poses serious health risks. Complications can include infection, inflammation, embolism, and subcutaneous emphysema, as seen in this case.

"This behaviour borders on self-harm and highlights a wider issue — people with chronic conditions increasingly turning to unverified, anecdotal remedies online instead of seeking evidence-based medical care."

He said that it can be viewed as a 'cautionary tale' of the risks around 'self-experimentation', as the public needs to be educated on 'safe and proven treatments for common health conditions.'

"Medical issues should be handled under the guidance of trained professionals, not improvised with online myths or homebrew remedies," Dr. Cheema concluded.

An X-ray revealed how swollen the man's arm was from the semen. Credit: Irish Medical Journal

What to do if you have acute or chronic back pain

The doctor also provided advice on what to do if you suffer similar pain to the man in question - and it doesn't include anything about injecting yourself with bodily fluids.

Here's what people should do:

1. Core strengthening exercises
2. Physical therapy
3. Over-the-counter pain relief such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) as a short-term solution
4. Heat or ice therapy (depending on the type and cause of pain)
5. Lifestyle changes such as weight management and regular movement
6. Posture correction and ergonomic adjustments, which are necessary if you work a sedentary office job
7. Getting a referral to a spinal specialist for further intervention

Featured image credit: Irish Medical Journal