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16YO Lives In A Pond To Escape Burning Sensation, Doctors Baffled By A Condition Nobody Can Explain
A boy with a mysterious condition, partially submerged in a pond, holding a white object near his mouth.

16YO Lives In A Pond To Escape Burning Sensation, Doctors Baffled By A Condition Nobody Can Explain

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The world is a vast sphere of mystery, and despite being alive for so many years, many things still baffle humans regularly. From painful diseases to strange disorders, we haven’t yet figured out everything that can happen on this planet.

Just look at this teen who suddenly went viral after it was discovered that he had been living in a pond for the last 5 years because of an intense burning sensation. Shockingly enough, experts have some speculations, but they can’t say for sure what his condition exactly is. 

However, he has his own supernatural answer to the whole problem. Scroll down to learn more about this situation that has bewildered netizens and experts alike!

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    A 16-year-old teen, Iqbal Sheikh, from West Bengal, India, has been living in a pond for the last 5 years

    mustaque_sams / Instagram

    He experiences an intense burning sensation throughout, and the cool pond water is the only thing that helps reduce his pain

    Hailing from Murshidabad in West Bengal, India, Iqbal Sheikh is unlike any 16-year-old in the world today. His pond-submerged life recently went viral, but there’s a shocking reason behind it. The teen has been living in water for the last 5 years because of a troubling condition.

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    The moment he steps out and his skin dries, Iqbal experiences an intense burning sensation. What’s more surprising is that his condition has also baffled experts, who can’t really pinpoint what’s wrong.

    From multiple hospitals as well as traditional healers, his family has exhausted every resource but has not been able to treat him. In fact, the cool pond water is the only thing that helps relieve the pain.

    mustaque_sams / Instagram

    Recently, videos of Iqbal swimming, eating, and even sleeping in the pond water blew up the internet. People were shocked to discover that he has been doing this for many years without seeing any resolution on the horizon.

    Gulf News reported that no one has been able to diagnose it, as treatments have failed in the past. Moreover, his family says that they can’t handle the financial burden of the treatment any longer. But just when things looked gloomier than usual, his news spread and caught the attention of industrialist Anant Ambani.

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    31-year-old Ambani is the son of Mukesh Ambani, the richest man in India. He took an interest in young Iqbal and airlifted him to Mumbai for treatment, 1,300 miles away from his home in Murshidabad. He was reportedly admitted to Sir H. N. Reliance Foundation Hospital.

    Experts have not yet been able to diagnose his condition, but he drew the attention of industrialist Anant Ambani after his videos went viral

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    mustaque_sams / Instagram

    There’s some speculation that his symptoms are similar to erythromelalgia. According to the experts at Cleveland Clinic, “Erythromelalgia is a rare disorder that can affect your feet, hands, and other areas. Symptoms may come and go. They include skin redness and an intense burning sensation. This can make sleeping, walking, and other tasks challenging.”

    As of the date of publication, experts have not yet diagnosed the condition as erythromelalgia. But they are still conducting multiple tests and examinations to determine the appropriate treatment. Sadly, Iqbal is already facing the consequences of staying underwater for so many years. 

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    Parts of his skin have turned pale, and he has also developed cold and cough symptoms. Apart from skin damage, studies also indicate that prolonged water immersion can increase the risk of infections.

    Ambani airlifted Iqbal and admitted him to a Mumbai hospital, where experts are conducting tests to determine proper treatment

    mustaque_sams / Instagram

    As opposed to what experts believe, Iqbal puts the blame for his condition on a ‘djinn, fairy, or other supernatural entity.’ Research highlights that jinn, also known as djinn or genies, are supernatural beings in Arabic mythology, believed to be created from smokeless fire. 

    “In Islamic tradition, jinn exist alongside angels and humans, and their characteristics can range from benevolent beings rewarding kindness to malevolent spirits causing mischief. The belief in jinn remains prevalent in many Muslim cultures, where they are often thought to inhabit various environments and can be linked to illnesses or misfortunes,” it adds.

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    While many netizens were appalled by the djinn theory, they were relieved that he finally found the help he needed. I hope the result is out soon so experts can start treating him. Did this story shock you as much as it shocked people online? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

    Iqbal’s condition baffled netizens, who were glad that he was finally getting the medical help that he needed

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    Rutuja Dumbre

    Rutuja Dumbre

    Writer, BoredPanda staff

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    Hey, am Rutuja! A storyteller at heart and a writer at Bored Panda. I have a strange love for words, and I mostly survive on coffee which is the driving force behind my writing. I enjoy working on articles that purely entertain our readers. When am not writing or trekking, you can find me staying up late and watching all the matches of Football Club Barcelona!

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    Rutuja Dumbre

    Rutuja Dumbre

    Writer, BoredPanda staff

    Hey, am Rutuja! A storyteller at heart and a writer at Bored Panda. I have a strange love for words, and I mostly survive on coffee which is the driving force behind my writing. I enjoy working on articles that purely entertain our readers. When am not writing or trekking, you can find me staying up late and watching all the matches of Football Club Barcelona!

    Monika Pašukonytė

    Monika Pašukonytė

    Author, BoredPanda staff

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    I am a visual editor here. In my free time I enjoy the vibrant worlds of art galleries, exhibitions, and soulful concerts. Yet, amidst life's hustle and bustle, I find solace in nature's embrace, cherishing tranquil moments with beloved friends. Deep within, I hold a dream close - to embark on a global journey in an RV, accompanied by my faithful canine companion. Together, we'll wander through diverse cultures, weaving precious memories under the starry night sky, fulfilling the wanderlust that stirs my soul.

    Read less »

    Monika Pašukonytė

    Monika Pašukonytė

    Author, BoredPanda staff

    I am a visual editor here. In my free time I enjoy the vibrant worlds of art galleries, exhibitions, and soulful concerts. Yet, amidst life's hustle and bustle, I find solace in nature's embrace, cherishing tranquil moments with beloved friends. Deep within, I hold a dream close - to embark on a global journey in an RV, accompanied by my faithful canine companion. Together, we'll wander through diverse cultures, weaving precious memories under the starry night sky, fulfilling the wanderlust that stirs my soul.

    What do you think ?
    Ace
    Community Member
    Premium
    5 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Eh? Experts Baffled? No. No they are not. At the time this story surfaced no experts had actually been consulted. He's since been taken to hospital where he's receiving treatment for what is thought to be erythromelalgia, as mentioned in one of the comments. Another stupid clickbait headline.

    43Duckies
    Community Member
    4 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    If he were older (as opposed to this condition starting when he was 11), living in a place where cannabis use was common, and his symptoms were constant severe nausea/vomiting and stomach pain instead of burning sensation on his skin, I'd have thought this might be Cannabis Hyperemesis Syndrome, as one of the classic symptoms of that is that pretty much the only thing that seems to temporarily relieve the nausea is taking hot showers. But that's more the heat than the water, as some people have been able to get a bit of relief from capsaicin cream.

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    Ace
    Community Member
    Premium
    5 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Eh? Experts Baffled? No. No they are not. At the time this story surfaced no experts had actually been consulted. He's since been taken to hospital where he's receiving treatment for what is thought to be erythromelalgia, as mentioned in one of the comments. Another stupid clickbait headline.

    43Duckies
    Community Member
    4 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    If he were older (as opposed to this condition starting when he was 11), living in a place where cannabis use was common, and his symptoms were constant severe nausea/vomiting and stomach pain instead of burning sensation on his skin, I'd have thought this might be Cannabis Hyperemesis Syndrome, as one of the classic symptoms of that is that pretty much the only thing that seems to temporarily relieve the nausea is taking hot showers. But that's more the heat than the water, as some people have been able to get a bit of relief from capsaicin cream.

    Load More Replies...
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