Buzz
We’ve all heard strange stories about people who went for a swim in rivers or lakes, only to later discover that they had accidentally swallowed an egg, and now had a fully grown snake or something similar living inside them. These tales sound absurd, of course. Most creatures would never be able to survive inside the human body. But, despite how improbable it may seem, there are a few rare instances that defy this logic, and they’re often more shocking than we could ever imagine.
10. Ron Svedan
By the summer of 2010, Ron Svedan had been battling emphysema for several months, coughing frequently, and feeling far more fatigued than usual. While many might dismiss these symptoms as just a part of aging for a 75-year-old, Ron was concerned that he had a tumor in his lung. One day, his condition worsened, and he was rushed to the hospital, where an X-ray revealed a growth in his left lung, which had collapsed. It took a painful 10 days for the lab results to come back, but when they finally did, they confirmed that Ron did not have cancer.
The growth inside him was far from a tumor—it was actually a small pea plant. Doctors believe that the pea had been accidentally inhaled, and his lung provided the perfect warm, humid conditions for it to sprout. The plant was removed in surgery, and Ron recovered without any issues. In fact, he wasn't put off peas at all by the experience, enjoying them in his first meal after the surgery.
9. Anil Barela
Anil Barela, a 12-year-old boy from Madhya Pradesh, India, started having breathing difficulties after playing in a river with his friends. He sought medical attention, and after a short, straightforward surgery, his breathing problems were resolved. The cause of his distress was an 8.9-centimeter ( in) fish lodged in his lung. It turns out that the game he was playing with his friends involved swallowing live fish, which was a popular activity among local children.
Instead of swallowing the fish in the usual way, Anil decided to put it in his mouth and inhale it. The suction force pulled the fish straight into his lung. After surgery, he was fine, and the fish was still alive when the surgeons found it, though it died shortly after being removed.
8. Aaron Dallas
Aaron Dallas was an ordinary tourist visiting Belize in the summer of 2007. The trip went smoothly, or so it seemed. However, upon returning to the United States, Aaron noticed a number of bumps on his scalp. Initially, doctors thought they were insect bites or shingles, but they soon realized that the bumps were moving. The surprising cause? Five maggots living in his scalp. When he touched the bumps, he could feel them shifting beneath his skin, but he had initially mistaken it for blood flow. Even more unsettling, he could hear them inside his head. After the maggots were removed, we can all breathe a little easier, knowing this rare experience is unlikely to happen again.
In a similar but even more disturbing scenario, 27-year-old Rochelle Harris, after returning from Peru to England, began to experience headaches, facial soreness, and aural discharge caused by several maggots in her ear. For hours, Rochelle was forced to listen to the maggots wriggling inside, while doctors tried—and failed—to drown them out with olive oil. Eventually, eight live maggots were surgically extracted.
7. Unnamed Men
In 2010, a 59-year-old unnamed chef from Sichuan, China, visited a hospital after suffering from severe abdominal pain, extreme anal bleeding, and other uncomfortable symptoms. Doctors, unsure of the cause, performed exploratory surgery, likely anticipating a tumor or organ damage. What they discovered was far stranger: a live eel lodged inside his intestines. Initially, it seemed like the eel had entered his system through a meal he had eaten the day before, but the true cause emerged when it was revealed that after a night of drinking, his friends had played a cruel prank by inserting a live eel into his anus while he was passed out. Sadly, the man passed away 10 days later.
In a similar bizarre turn of events, another man in China decided to try the eel stunt after allegedly witnessing it in an adult film. He later admitted himself to the hospital where a 50-centimeter (20-inch) eel was surgically removed from his body after it had chewed through his colon. Miraculously, he survived, though he now faces animal cruelty charges.
A third man in China experienced an even stranger incident while undergoing an eel spa treatment, where eels are used to eat off dead skin to expose healthier layers. During the procedure, a 15-centimeter (six-inch) eel swam up into his bladder. He noticed the eel’s progress but couldn’t catch it, and it had to be removed later.
6. A 14-Year-Old Boy
A 14-year-old boy in India sought medical help after experiencing discomfort and difficulty in urinating, despite having no previous urological issues. After undergoing multiple tests, doctors discovered the cause of his symptoms: a small fish was residing inside his bladder. The doctors employed a ureteroscope, a procedure that sounds as unpleasant as it is, to remove the fish. The boy explained that while cleaning his fish tank, he had to relieve himself, so he held onto the fish during his bathroom break. In an unexpected turn, the fish slipped from his hand and swam into the only opening it could find. This unusual case has since become a reference point for medical studies.
Artyom Sidorkin, a man from Russia, began experiencing severe chest pains and coughing up blood in 2009. These symptoms were alarming, prompting him to seek medical attention. An X-ray suggested the possibility of cancer, leading to recommendations for surgery to remove a portion of his lung. However, before proceeding with such drastic measures, the doctor took a second look at the images. It was discovered that the X-ray had actually shown the growth of a fir tree inside his lung, not a tumor. The tree, measuring only five centimeters tall, had been causing him pain by pressing against his capillaries. After removing the plant, Artyom made a full recovery.
In 2009, Artyom Sidorkin, a Russian man, was alarmed when he began experiencing chest pains and coughing up blood. Fearing the worst, he went to the doctor, who ordered an X-ray to check for cancer. The X-ray images led doctors to believe that Artyom had a tumor, and they quickly planned for an operation to remove part of his lung. However, upon closer inspection, they realized that the growth detected was not cancer but the first sprouting of a small fir tree. This unexpected growth was pressing on his capillaries, causing the pain. After the tree was removed, Artyom recovered fully.
John Matthews was experiencing significant vision issues in his left eye. Not only was his vision becoming increasingly blurry, but he also saw two dark spots that were constantly present in his field of view. He described it as if he were looking through a lens covered in mud. Fearing he might be losing his sight, John went to see a doctor. Initially, Dr. James Folk could not find any immediate explanation, but after closely examining John’s eye, he discovered something unusual: a microscopic worm was living inside. This type of parasite is extremely rare, with only 15 known cases documented. The worm enters the body through ingestion, traveling from the stomach through the tissues all the way to the eye or brain, where it survives by feeding on the retina. Despite his blurred vision, John could still see the worm moving around in his eye. Dr. Folk successfully killed the parasite using a laser, but John's vision may never fully return to normal.
John Matthews, after experiencing issues with his left eye, was concerned about losing his vision. The blurred vision, coupled with two persistent dark spots, led him to describe his sight as if looking through a cloudy lens. Disturbed by these symptoms, he sought medical attention. Dr. James Folk, after failing to identify the problem initially, closely examined John’s eye and discovered something extraordinary: a microscopic worm was living in it. This parasitic worm is incredibly rare, with only 15 reported cases. It enters the body through ingestion, travels through the tissues, and ends up in the eye or brain, feeding on the retina. Although John could still see the worm wriggling around in his eye, Dr. Folk used a laser to eliminate it, though complete recovery of his vision remains unlikely.
In rare and bizarre medical cases, people have been afflicted with unusual parasitic worms that find their way into unexpected places, including the eye. One such case involved a man named John Matthews, who suffered from blurred vision and dark spots in his left eye. Concerned about losing his sight, John sought the help of Dr. James Folk. After further examination, Dr. Folk discovered a microscopic worm living in the retina. This type of worm is known for traveling through the body from the stomach to the eye or brain, feeding off the retina. While John was able to see the worm moving around, Dr. Folk was able to remove it using a laser, though it is uncertain whether John’s vision will ever fully return to normal.
A woman in South Korea, whose identity remains undisclosed for reasons that will become clear, experienced a truly bizarre event last year while eating a squid, specifically a 'Todarodes pacificus.' As she was eating the squid, which was only partially cooked, she felt a sharp sting and spat it out. However, she continued to feel a strange sensation in her gums, cheek, and tongue. It was later revealed that while she was eating, the squid's sperm sack had burst, effectively 'inseminating' her mouth (as much as a squid can inseminate a human, at least). Upon examination, doctors found '12 small, white, spindle-shaped, bug-like organisms' in her mouth. Although this incident is rare, similar cases have been reported in Japan, and even one instance of squid-mouth insemination is more than anyone would want to experience.
Rosemary Alvarez, aged 37, was grappling with some unsettling symptoms—trouble balancing, difficulty swallowing, and numbness—which led her to seek medical help in Phoenix. An MRI scan revealed a serious tumor in her brain that appeared to be difficult to remove. Given the circumstances, doctors decided to proceed with a risky operation. But in an unexpected turn, the surgeon made a discovery that would stay with him forever.
Rosemary Alvarez, at 37 years old, checked herself into a hospital in Phoenix after experiencing disturbing symptoms like balance issues, difficulty swallowing, and numbness. An MRI scan revealed a tumor in her brain that seemed nearly impossible to remove. This led her doctor to suggest a high-risk surgery. However, during the procedure, the surgeon uncovered a discovery that would surely stick in his memory for a long time.
The fortunate news was that Rosemary wasn’t battling a tumor in her brain. The unfortunate news was that she had a live tapeworm living inside her brain. Though disturbing, this condition was actually more manageable than having a tumor. The tapeworm could be removed relatively easily, sparing her from the prospect of cancer.
The question of how the worm ended up in Rosemary's brain remains, and the answer is as unsettling as it gets. At some point, Rosemary must have consumed food contaminated by the feces of someone infected with the pork tapeworm. It's a disturbing reality, and it's not an isolated case—over 20 percent of neurology offices in California have reported similar incidents. If that doesn’t make you rethink hygiene, I don’t know what will.
On August 8, 2012, Mrs. Lee visited the Changsha Central Hospital of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery with an unusual complaint: an itchy ear. Rather than dismiss her concern, Dr. Liu Sheng took a closer look and made an astonishing discovery that would likely be the most exciting moment of his entire career as an ear specialist: Mrs. Lee had a spider living inside her ear canal. But this wasn’t just any spider—it had four eyes, was covered in hair, and boasted barbed legs, making the doctors worry it could cause further harm if disturbed. The spider had likely crawled into her ear five days earlier, seeking refuge as she slept. To remove it, the doctors flushed her ear with saline solution, which successfully drove the spider out.
On August 8, 2012, Mrs. Lee checked into the Changsha Central Hospital of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery with an itchy ear. Dr. Liu Sheng, rather than dismissing her, took a closer look and discovered something remarkable: a spider had made its home in her ear canal. This wasn’t just any spider—it had four eyes, was covered in hair, and had barbed legs, which caused doctors to worry about the potential damage if the spider was disturbed. It was estimated that the spider had entered her ear five days earlier while she slept. The doctors used saline solution to flush her ear, and the spider was successfully driven out.
