16-Year-Old Has Spent 5 Years Living in a Pond to Escape

A mysterious skin disorder causes a burning sensation throughout his body, forcing him to spend most of his time submerged in water for relief.

Sixteen-year-old Iqbal Sheikh would seem like any other teenager if it weren’t for a debilitating skin condition that has kept him living in a small pond for nearly five years.

The unexplained ailment causes an intense burning sensation across his body, leaving him so uncomfortable that he prefers to spend most of his waking hours submerged up to his neck in water.

The condition has baffled local doctors for years, with no effective treatment providing him with lasting relief.

His extraordinary story eventually attracted widespread attention, prompting Indian billionaire Anant Ambani to step in and arrange for the teenager to be airlifted to Mumbai’s Sir HN Reliance Hospital for further medical evaluation.

Doctors now suspect that Sheikh may be suffering from erythromelalgia, a rare condition that causes burning pain, warmth, and redness in the skin. Treatment typically involves creams, medications, and other approaches to manage the symptoms.

However, medical experts warn that spending such extended periods in water may have worsened his condition, even though it offers temporary relief from the burning sensation.

With his evaluation at the Mumbai hospital, there is hope that doctors can identify the underlying cause and develop an effective treatment plan, allowing Sheikh to reclaim his life without having to spend his days submerged in a pond.

Source: Mirror.co.uk