Sticking a fish up your bum won’t cure constipation, but these remedies will

There is a time and a place for ‘boererate’, but when it comes to sticking live animals up your anus, you should definitely stop to consider the pros and cons. Sometimes it might just be better to stay constipated for a little while longer, as a man from Xinghua in East China’s Jiangsu Province learned the hard way.

IFLScience reported that the man inserted a sizeable live eel into his anus to cure his constipation last year sometime.

The slippery ray-finned fish wasn’t happy in its new constricted surroundings and eventually travelled up the unnamed patient’s rectum into his colon wall where it slithered into his abdomen.

According to English-language Chinese newspaper, The Global Times, the constipated man was in severe pain but was too shy to go to his doctor with his predicament. However, the pain soon became unbearable, and the patient swallowed his pride and headed to the hospital.

The 20-centimetre-long eel had to be removed during an operation, and surprisingly the snakelike fish survived the trip up the man’s anus and the operation.

Other fish haven’t had the same luck, however. In June 2020, a man in his fifties inserted an Asian swamp eel up his bum. He had no better luck in curing his constipation with this folk remedy and also ended up needing surgery to remove the fish, which unfortunately did not survive the ordeal.

ALSO SEE: Seven ‘Boererate’ people still swear by today

Safe home remedies to help with constipation

Being constipated is no joke, and definitely uncomfortable, but still bearable when you compare it to sticking a fish up your butt. Instead of following that extreme route when you are feeling obstructed, rather try these tips from the Bladder & Bowl Community to sort out your blockage.

Lemon juice

Mix a glass of water with the juice of half a lemon before bed and when you wake up.

Olive oil

A teaspoon of olive oil in the morning on an empty stomach can help to slip that uncomfortable blockage in the right direction.

A hot cup of coffee

You know when you have that first cup of coffee in the morning and then all off a sudden you find yourself sprinting to the loo? Try that next time you feel a little backed up. Coffee or tea has a diuretic effect, which increases the production of urine, but the hot water also helps to break down solids…

Clear soups

Soups are not just for when you have a cold… apparently clear soups add moisture to stools, which can help to make them softer and thus your bowel movements easier.

Find the right toilet position

Yup, there is a right and wrong way to poop. If you find that you’re struggling to get one out, adjust your toilet positioning and try again (without forcing it, as that can cause damage). The Bladder & Bowel community recommends having your knees higher than your hips and to keep your back straight. Investing in a toilet stool is also recommended to get the most out of this toilet position.

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