A woman who ate live frogs as a child had to have an 8cm-long parasite removed from her brain. Yin Meng, 29, had been complaining of headaches for six years when she keeled over at work. She was rushed into hospital in Zhaoyang County in south-western China's Yunnan Province. There, doctors discovered something growing inside her brain. Scroll down for video . Unaware: Yin Meng, 29, had an 8cm-long parasite growing inside her brain, which caused her to collapse . But they had no idea what it was or how to remove it so she was discharged. Yin then took medications to try and control the increasing number of headaches and seizures she was experiencing - before collapsing again. Her boyfriend Shan Tu, 30, said: 'I was getting increasingly worried about her as her fits and seizures were getting worse - and so too were her headaches. 'So when she collapsed again that was the last straw.' Yin was admitted to hospital and this time surgeons agreed to operate - despite the risk. During surgery, they removed the thin, 10cm-long white parasite. A hospital spokesman said: 'The woman was found to be suffering from a parasitic infection called Sparaganosis which had been growing inside her for years. 'It was attacking her nervous system.' Sparaganosis can be contracted by drinking contaminated water, or eating a carrier of the infection such as a frog or a snake. Danger: During surgery,  doctors removed the thin, 8cm-long white parasite (pictured). A hospital spokesman said: 'The woman was found to be suffering from a parasitic infection called sparaganosis' Harm: The parasite (pictured) was attacking Yin's nervous system, triggering seizures and headaches . It can also be transmitted through coming into contact with an open wound from the host. It most commonly affects the brain or the eye. Upon waking and being told about her condition, the patient immediately realised what had happened. 'She said that when she was a child, around five-years-old, she used to catch and eat live frogs with her grandmother, which must be how she contracted the parasitic infection,' the spokeswoman said. 'She said she could remember the feeling of the frog 'jumping' as it went down her throat. She added: 'The damage to her nervous system is quite extensive but we hope we can prevent it from being permanent as the brain has an amazing capacity to heal itself.'
Yin Meng had been complaining of headaches for years before collapsing . 29-year-old had also suffered frequent seizures but it was not clear why . Hospital tests revealed something was growing inside her brain . Surgeons eventually agreed to operate and removed 8cm parasite . Sparaganosis can be caused by eating live frogs, as Yin had as a child .