A doctor’s warning against injecting yourself with semen? Not exactly what I expected to write about this week — but here we are.
The world never ceases to amaze with its ever-evolving trends and bizarre fads, spreading faster than ever thanks to social media and the internet. Over the years, we’ve seen everything from the hilarious to the downright dangerous, but nothing quite like this…
Recently, a cautionary alert went out to stop people from injecting themselves with sperm. Yes, you read that right.
Now, anyone who’s navigated the U.S. healthcare system knows how painfully expensive medical care can be. Even the best insurance plans or crowdfunding campaigns often fall short, pushing some to try unproven “DIY” treatments at home to avoid the financial strain.
But here’s where this story gets truly strange — it didn’t happen in the U.S. Instead, it’s from Ireland, where healthcare is mostly covered by taxes and typically free at the point of use.
Faced with severe back pain, this Irish man decided to treat himself by injecting… semen.
Eventually, the man found himself in the hospital, suffering from “severe, sudden onset lower back pain.” It was there that doctors uncovered the shocking truth: he had been self-medicating for 18 months — by injecting semen into his muscles.
During their examination, medical staff noticed his arm was red, swollen, and tender. An X-ray revealed an unusual build-up of semen trapped inside the muscle where he’d been injecting.
The diagnosis? Subcutaneous emphysema — a dangerous condition caused when air becomes trapped beneath the skin. He needed urgent treatment for both his back pain and the infection in his arm before he could be safely discharged.
Dr. Asim Cheema, an Internal Medicine and Cardiology Specialist at Your Doctors Online, called the case “deeply concerning.”
Speaking to UNILAD, Dr. Cheema warned:
“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—especially without any medical supervision—is not just ineffective; it’s extremely dangerous. Such actions can lead to serious complications including infections, inflammation, embolisms, and even subcutaneous emphysema, as this case clearly illustrates.
Dr. Cheema emphasized, “This behavior borders on self-harm and sheds light on a bigger problem: people with chronic conditions are increasingly turning to unproven, anecdotal treatments found online instead of seeking proper, evidence-based medical care.”