Boy in China sticks needle up urethra in apparent bid to stay awake while doing homework

We've all heard of numerous life hacks to stay alert and productive. Here's one that you've (probably) never heard of before — and one you may not want to try at home.

A 12-year-old boy in Shaanxi, Xi'an was apparently so desperate to stay alert while doing his homework that he stuck a 10cm-long needle up his urethra. 

The boy, who is unnamed, was admitted to Xi'an Children's Hospital on July 26 and underwent nearly two hours of surgery to remove the needle, China Press reported.

Wang Shengxing, a urologist at the hospital, stated that the needle was inserted so deeply in the boy's urethra that it almost entered his bladder.

The boy's mother told Xi'an media that the boy had refused to go for his daily exercise session after lunch on July 25. After forcing him out of the house for a walk, his mother noticed that he was walking particularly slowly. She assumed that the boy was simply throwing a tantrum.

It was only at 10pm that night that the boy admitted the true reason for his reluctance to go for a walk — he had stuck a needle up his urethra. He claimed that he did it as he was feeling sleepy while doing his homework and wanted to keep himself alert.

Chinese netizens were not buying it and insisted that "homework" was simply a cover story.

While these comments are all just conjectures, there may be some truth to the speculation.

Cases of teenage boys inserting foreign objects such as sewing needles, necklaces, steel balls into their urethra are common, said Wang. In fact, he has seen three or four similar patients this summer.

He suggested that parents could provide their teenagers with books on puberty and health. Parents should also keep channels of communication open and answer any questions that their children may have, advised Wang.

kimberlylim@asiaone.com