Man repeatedly injects himself with semen in attempt to cure chronic back pain

Report in Irish Medical Journal says 'innovative' alternative therapy was concocted without medical advice and is first ever case reported in humans

A man repeatedly injected himself with his own semen during a self-concocted course of “alternative therapy” to cure his chronic back pain, a report from Irish doctors has revealed.

The 33-year-old man presented at Adelaide and Meath Hospital, Dublin, after making his back worse lifting a heavy steel object and doctors identified an abscess and a raised red rash on his arm.

“Upon further interrogation of this alternative therapy, he revealed he had injected one monthly “dose” of semen for 18 consecutive months using a hypodermic needle which had been purchased online,” Dr Lisa Dunne, the report’s lead author, wrote in the Irish Medical Journal.

The report, titled "'Semenly' harmless back pain: an unusual presentation of a subcutaneous abscess", says the patient was started on intravenous antibiotics for an infection as the rash continued to spread down his arm.

X-rays revealed a collection of semen in his forearm muscle, but as his back pain improved during his stay at hospital doctors said he “opted to discharge himself” without having the fluid drained.

After a comprehensive search of the medical literature Dr Dunne and colleagues said this is the first reported human case of semen injection, though there have been cases in rats and rabbits.

A “search of more eclectic internet sites and forums” also found no reports of people attempting the treatment for back pain and the report says he had “devised this ‘cure’ independent of any medical advice”.

Doctors said this case was a cautionary lesson on the dangers of self-administering injections by a layperson.

“The case also demonstrates the risks involved with medical experimentation prior to extensive clinical research in the form of phased trials inclusive of safety and efficacy assessments,” the authors add.