A man in Ireland ended up in hospital after injecting himself with monthly doses of his own semen in an attempt to cure chronic back pain.

It is the first documented case of semen injection for medical treatment, the report published by the Irish Medical Journal said.

“The patient disclosed that he had intravenously injected his own semen as an innovative method to treat back pain,” the case report reads. “He had devised this ‘cure’ independent of any medical advice.”

Over the course of 1.5 years, the man reportedly self-administered the injections on a monthly basis. As a result, he developed a bacterial skin infection and an abscess under the skin of his right forearm, which doctors discovered after a physical exam when he arrived in hospital complaining of severe lower back pain. Doctors immediately administered antimicrobial treatment.

His back pain decreased during his hospital visit and the man discharged himself before doctors could make an incision to drain “the local collection.”

As a result of the man’s visit, researchers conducted a review of medical journals for mention of “intravenous semen injection” for back pain treatment and other maladies. They found no supporting research conducted on humans, but found a report on the effects of semen injections for rats and rabbits.

The case at least highlights the dangers of untrained people using needles, the report said, and the hazards involved with injecting substances into your veins that are not intended for that purpose.