Latest news with #Cureus
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Man, 21, hospitalised due to risky 'sounding' sex act involving a USB cable
A 21-year-old man ended up needing emergency surgery after a sexual experiment with a USB cable went horribly wrong. The unnamed college student inserted the object into his urethra—the tube in the penis that carries urine out of the body—as part of a dangerous practice called 'sounding'. But the thick cable—which he had inserted in a U-shaped loop leaving both ends hanging outside of him—had gotten stuck, requiring an urgent trip to A&E. American medics, who reported the case, said their patient admitted to having inserted objects like 'cotton swabs and wire cables' in a similar manner before. But on this occasion he found himself unable to extract the USB cable. Scans show how the man had pushed the looped cable so deep inside his urethra that it had entered his bladder, where it then become lodged. Writing in the journal Cureus, the medics said that initial attempts by staff to pull the cable out by hand were unsuccessful. As a result, they decided to anaesthetise the man and attempted to extract the cable using special tools inserted into the urethra. This proved successful and the cable was 'gently' pulled out until it could be snipped with scissors and each section extracted more easily. After keeping him in hospital for a week for monitoring, the man was then discharged with painkillers and antibiotics. One month later he returned to hospital for a follow up which showed he had suffered no long term problems from his ordeal. Writing in the report the medics noted: 'Self-insertion of objects into the urethra for sexual or other reasons is rare but can cause serious harm.' Known risks include an infection, which can in turn lead to life-threatening sepsis as permanent damage to the reproductive organs. If inserted objects reach the bladder, it also carries the potential of rupturing the organ. Sounding is a sexual kink whereby people, mostly men, insert long thin objects into their urethra. Examples of objects previously used include forks, telephone cables metal piping, nail clippers, an allen key, needles, olive seeds, batteries, a skipping rope, a coyote rib, and even a decapitated snake. While most famously done for sexual pleasure the act is has carried out by people with serious mental health conditions as well as men undertaking an ill-advised attempt to maintain an erection. UK experts have previously reported a rise in the number of men having sounding issues over the past few years. They have blamed it the surge in men looking to 'expand their sexual activities and enhance their sexual experiences'. How many men perform sounding is unknown. However, the NHS in England reported treating 258 cases where patients had a 'foreign body' stuck in their urethra last financial year. The vast majority of these cases, 231, were in men with an average patient age of 47.
Scottish Sun
5 days ago
- Health
- Scottish Sun
Man, 21, shoved entire USB cable up his penis in ‘risky sex act' – as doctors issue warning
Many household objects have been inserted into penises, including forks, tennis racket wire, headphones, and even a decapitated snake, according to reports MAN ALIVE Man, 21, shoved entire USB cable up his penis in 'risky sex act' – as doctors issue warning A YOUNG man got a USB cable lodged in his penis after inserting it for sexual pleasure. The 21-year-old student only decided to go to hospital when he realised he couldn't pull it out himself. 2 Scans showed the cable had been pushed into his bladder Credit: Cureus 2 The cable after it had been removed Credit: Cureus He told medics he had previously inserted items like cotton buds and wire cables into his urethra for 'sexual stimulation'. This practice, called sounding, involves pushing objects into the urethra, the tube that carries urine out of the body, for sexual pleasure. Many household objects have been used as 'sounds', according to reports, including forks, tennis racket wire, headphones and a decapitated snake. It is unclear how often sounding is practised or by how many people among the general population. However, men make up 85 per cent of object retrieval cases from other bodily orifices. Scans showed the cable had been pushed into his bladder, which doctors writing about the case in Cureus, said made it harder to remove. They decided to take him into surgery, put him under general anesthesia and send a camera up his urethra alongside the cable so they could carefully pull it out without causing too much damage. 'Self-insertion of objects into the urethra for sexual or other reasons is rare but can cause serious harm,' the report authors from Drexel University College of Medicine in Pensilvania, US, warned. It can damage the urethra which can lead to sepsis, cause erectile dysfunction and lead to bladder rupture. It also carries a risk of sexually transmitted diseases, as well as other bacterial infections from inserting non-sterile objects or implements. Bizarre medical case reports A further camera check showed only minor injuries to his urethra. To help him pee and allow healing, doctors placed a catheter for one week. He was sent home with antibiotics and painkillers. A follow-up check a month later showed he was healing well, with no lasting damage.
The Sun
02-06-2025
- General
- The Sun
Woman, 24, left battling fatal ‘muscle death' condition triggered by her first ever spin class
A WOMAN landed in intensive care with a fatal condition triggered by pushing herself too much during her first spin class. The 24-year-old had rhabdomyolysis, which is when overworked muscles die, break down and leak toxins into the blood. 1 These toxins can damage the kidneys and cause them to stop working, which can be life-threatening if not treated quickly. Spinning is a high-intensity indoor cycling workout that targets the large muscles in the thighs and glutes. It's hugely popular for its fast calorie burn and endurance boost, but the intense effort can sometimes push beginners too far, medics describing the case in Cureus warned. They said that young women, especially those with high BMIs have "adequate" energy and "muscle bulk" - like the woman in the case report - to do spinning. "This endurance and some over-enthusiasm can lead them to spin for prolonged durations at varying intensities," they wrote. "Combined with dehydration, lack of fitness and the muscle mass of the quadriceps make them more prone to rhabdomyolysis after their first spinning session," they added. Just two days after the class, the unnamed woman was unable to walk upstairs as her thighs throbbed. But her pain was unusually severe, and when her pee turned from clear to brown, she knew something was seriously wrong. She went to hospital where tests showed her creatine kinase levels, a marker of muscle damage, were more than 50 times the normal limit. Tests and scans revealed that muscle cells in her thighs had ruptured, releasing harmful substances like myoglobin into her bloodstream putting severe strain on her kidneys. Bizarre medical case reports Doctors immediately started her on IV fluids to flush the toxins from her system and closely monitored her kidney function to prevent failure. After five days of intensive treatment, her muscle enzyme levels finally dropped, and her kidney function began to improve. She was eventually discharged and made a full recovery - but doctors warn that pushing too hard in a first spin class can trigger this rare, life-threatening condition. "We recommend gradual, low-intensity training or periodic training with adequate hydration and replenishing the fluid loss for all young women engaging in indoor cycling for weight reduction in the early phases of their fitness program," they wrote. "Awareness regarding warm-ups and cool-downs should be given to all beginners involved in indoor spinning," they added. What is rhabdomyolysis? Rhabdomyolysis, called rhabdo for short, happens when muscles are pushed too hard and start to die and break down, releasing toxins into the bloodstream. These toxins can seriously damage your kidneys and even cause kidney failure if untreated. Common causes: Intense exercise (like spin classes or heavy lifting) Muscle injury or trauma Certain medications or infections Symptoms: Severe muscle pain and weakness Swelling and stiffness Dark or brown urine (a key warning sign) Fatigue and fever Why it's dangerous: The toxins released can overload the kidneys, which filter your blood, leading to kidney damage or failure. Treatment: Early hospital care with IV fluids helps flush toxins and protect kidney function. Most people recover fully with prompt treatment. If you experience severe muscle pain after exercise and notice dark urine, get medical help fast.
Scottish Sun
28-05-2025
- Health
- Scottish Sun
Woman, 24, watched a third of her skin ‘peel and detach' from her body just four days after taking routine NHS drug
Survivors of the condition have described the experience as feeling like they were being 'burned from the inside out' or 'cooked alive,' due to the intense pain and widespread skin loss it triggers SKIN HORROR Woman, 24, watched a third of her skin 'peel and detach' from her body just four days after taking routine NHS drug A YOUNG woman saw nearly a third of her skin peel away in sheets just days after starting a new medication. The 24-year-old had been prescribed lamotrigine, a drug commonly used on the NHS to treat mood disorders and epilepsy. Advertisement 3 The unnamed woman developed Lyell's syndrome, also known as toxic epidermal necrolysis Credit: Cureus 3 It caused the 25-year-old's skin to peel off in sheets Credit: Cureus 3 The skin condition carries with it a mortality rate between 20 and 40 per cent Credit: Cureus But just days after starting the medication to treat her bipolar, she noticed a red rash spreading rapidly across her body. By day four she decided to head to the hospital after the marks started blistering and large areas of skin started falling off. Doctors treating her at Cheikh Khalifa International University Hospital in Morocco quickly diagnosed her with Lyell's syndrome, also known as toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN). This is a rare but life-threatening reaction to a medication - which in this case was lamotrigine. But it has also been associated with antibiotics, and anti-inflammatory painkillers like ibuprofen. Advertisement It happens when the body overreacts to a drug causing the outer layer of skin, known as the epidermis, to detach and peel away in sheets, exposing the raw, sensitive tissue beneath. In previous reports survivors of the condition have described the experience as feeling like they were being 'burned from the inside out' or 'cooked alive, due to the intense pain and widespread skin loss it triggers. In worst-case scenarios, it can leave those affected vulnerable to life-threatening complications like sepsis and organ failure - it carries a mortality rate between 20 and 40 per cent. In this case, published as part of a report in the journal Cureus, almost 30 per cent of her body surface area had been affected including her chest, back, arms, and thighs. Advertisement Large sections of skin had already sloughed off by the time she arrived at hospital, leaving painful, exposed areas that had to be treated like serious burns. Doctors also noted that her mucous membranes were involved, meaning the reaction had affected not just her skin but also the inside of her mouth and genitals, a common but dangerous feature of TEN. Charlotte's agony: Surviving Stevens-Johnson Syndrome Once admitted, the unidentified woman was transferred to a specialist burns unit, as TEN causes skin damage similar to that seen in people with major burn injuries. "TEN is often described as a severe burn-like skin reaction because it causes widespread epidermal necrosis and detachment similar to that seen in patients with extensive burns," the authors of the report wrote. Advertisement After intensive treatment in the burns unit including wound care, pain relief, and fluid replacement she began to recover. Doctors immediately stopped the lamotrigine to prevent further skin damage and prescribed another medication to manage her bipolar disorder safely. The authors stressed that while TEN is a rare reaction, patients starting drugs like lamotrigine should be monitored closely for early symptoms such as fever, rash, and blistering. "The early recognition and discontinuation of the offending drug is crucial in improving patient outcomes," they concluded. Advertisement
Scottish Sun
23-05-2025
- Health
- Scottish Sun
‘Healthy' boy, 8, left with giant forehead and lethal swelling after blocked nose turned into ‘Pott's puffy tumour'
Find out everything you need to know about Pott's puffy tumour below LETHAL INFECTION 'Healthy' boy, 8, left with giant forehead and lethal swelling after blocked nose turned into 'Pott's puffy tumour' Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A YOUNG boy with a seemingly innocent headache and blocked nose was rushed to hospital when his forehead began to swell. Experts are now raising awareness of the life-threatening condition he faced. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 The boy's swelling measured 8 x 5cm and extended to the root of his nose The eight-year-old boy had complained of a headache, fever, and blocked nose prior to his hospital admission. All three symptoms are commonly associated with sinusitis - a sinus infection that usually clears up on its own within four weeks. But two weeks later the boy was rushed to the emergency department when his forehead began to swell. The swelling measured 8 x 5cm and extended to the root of his nose. It also rapidly increased in size down to his eyelids. Initially, his condition was believed to have resulted from direct trauma to the forehead. But following a CT scan, doctors discovered he'd developed a rare complication of sinusitis, known as Pott's puffy tumour. Pott's puffy tumour causes a fluid-filled lump on the forehead and can be fatal if left untreated. Luckily for the boy, he was swiftly treated with antibiotics, and after 48 hours, the swelling began to subside. He was then discharged home after three weeks of hospitalisation. I've only got half a skull left after what started as a simple cold His case was recently published in Cureus. Pott's puffy tumour, named after Sir Percivall Pott, an English surgeon who first described it in 1760, is an uncommon condition in the UK. The authors wrote: "Although this condition can affect people of any age or gender, previous studies revealed that PPT in those above the age of 18 years is more common in the five to 17 age range, and they are more common in adolescents, with a median age of 11 years, favouring male patients, who account for 70 per cent of cases. "In our case, the child was an eight-year-old boy. In the adolescent age, the flow rate of the diploic veins, which drain the frontal sinus, increases and favours the hematogenous spread of infections." If Pott's puffy tumour is left untreated, it may result in bone erosion from the infected material coming into direct contact with intracranial structures, they noted. They concluded: "A seemingly harmless and common infection, such as acute bacterial sinusitis, can occasionally lead to serious complications. "To prevent fatal complications, it is crucial to recognise and treat benign infections such as bacterial sinusitis. "Although surgical intervention is recommended in this condition, early detection can enable a less invasive approach and may even eliminate the need for surgery altogether."
