World3 min(s) read
A teenager from West Bengal, India, has spent much of the past half-decade submerged in ponds, and it may have taken a toll on his long-term health.
Iqbal Sheikh, 16, went viral after footage of him spending an extended period of time in a body of water did the rounds online.
The teenager's way of life seems to have caught up with him, though, as he is reportedly receiving special medical treatment after spending a lot of time immersed in water.
Sheikh can be seen neck-deep in ponds across numerous videos on social media, but it turns out that he had a bizarre explanation for his actions.
He claimed that he only spent time in ponds because he could regularly feel a burning sensation on his skin, which was only relieved when he was in water.
The teen even theorized that this pain may have been caused by a 'supernatural entity', but this may be far from the case.
The teenager spent a lot of time in local ponds located in the Murshidabad district for the last five years, at all hours of the day.
Over time, this has caused parts of his body, such as the skin on his hands and feet, to turn pale, according to locals.
They also said that he developed cold and cough symptoms from his pond-dipping habits.
But while water is said to be the only thing that alleviates his pain, locals helped out by dropping supplies off for the teenager, who was seen eating while floating in the pond.
Family members tried to help by taking him to hospitals and medical experts, with the cause of his pain yet to be officially named.
Following the story's popularity, one of the wealthiest people in India has decided to step in and help the teenager figure out what's really wrong.
Anant Ambani, son of multi-billionaire Mukesh Ambani, has apparently arranged for Sheikh to travel to Mumbai, where he will be evaluated by a medical specialist.
As per the Daily Mirror, the teenager made the trip over last week, having been flown to the Sir HN Reliance Hospital.
Following an examination, doctors are said to belive that he may be suffering from a rare condition known as erythromelalgia.
The cause of this disorder isn't known, but experts say that this can be caused by a different condition or a faulty inherited gene.
The chronic condition is rare, and it is characterized by excess blood flow that causes periodic symptom flares, as per The Cleveland Clinic.
Its symptoms, which can include burning pain like Sheikh described, can get worse over time, while also appearing on your arms, face, hands, and legs as well as your feet.
The condition can make sleeping, walking, and other everyday tasks more difficult, though there are medications that can help with flare-ups.
Wearing warm or tight clothes, being in warm temperatures, alcohol, dehydration, stress, and spicy food can cause these flare-ups.
Medical professionals have warned that soaking in cool water to ease their pain can be more detrimental to the condition.
The Cleveland Clinic states that this can worsen the burning sensation and even 'put you at risk for skin issues, like non-healing wounds and necrosis, that are difficult to treat'.
