The power of Reddit saved one man's life. Bear Silber developed a mystery ailment in adulthood that debilitated his body for years — his condition was identified after seeing the comments of a humorous post.

"Due to my illness, I could barely get in my car without agonizing pain, I could hardly walk up a flight of stairs without taking a rest," says Silber in the video.

He was an avid marathon runner, snowboarder and hiker. Several doctors took numerous blood tests to see what was causing Silber so much pain yet there wasn't a clear answer.

While browsing through Reddit one night, Silber came across this post which was supposed to be a joke. Silber says he was terrified looking at a picture of a man who displayed similar symptoms.

"I knew that if I didn't get cured, I would end up eventually looking exactly like this man," says Silber.

One Reddit commenter mentioned Cushing's Disease, which is caused by a tumor in the pituitary gland that produces large amounts of ACTH (hormone associated that usually responses to biological stress). Silber immediately looked up information on the disease. He had all of the symptoms.

Several skeptical doctors turned down his Internet-based self-diagnosis, so he eventually went to an endocrinologist who immediately recognized it as Cushing's. The doctors who performed the surgery claim that he was a "one in a billion case," says Silber.

Silber is currently recovering and has launched a Kickstarter, hoping to write a book that will tell his story.

Image courtesy of Flickr, Eva Blue.