A healthy 20-something has been hospitalized after suffering a rare lung injury that occurred while masturbating. This is the first such case.
- The incidence of pneumomediastinum is 1 in 10,500 to 1 in 30,000 cases. This rare condition usually affects young men in their twenties.
- This lung problem is triggered by violent coughing, excessive vomiting, intense physical exercise and, in a few cases, by sexual intercourse.
In Switzerland, a 20-year-old presented to the Cantonal Hospital of Winterthur (KSW) and was admitted to the emergency room because he was suffering from shortness of breath and severe chest pain. According to two doctors at the Swiss health facility, the patient reported that these symptoms and shortness of breath occurred when he was lying in bed masturbating.
“Her medical history included mild asthma and attention deficit disorder with or without hyperactivity (ADHD) treated with Lisdexamfetamine,” can we read in a report published in the journal Radiology Case Reports. The 20-year-old told practitioners that he had not smoked, taken narcotics or done intense sporting activity before the onset of these symptoms.
Pneumomediastinum, a rare lung problem
When he arrived at the emergency room, the health professionals carried out a clinical examination. The latter revealed that the young man’s face was swollen and cracking noises were audible from his neck and chest to his elbows. According to the doctors, the pulmonary auscultation revealed nothing abnormal and his screening test for Covid-19 turned out to be negative.
Thanks to a chest X-ray, the practitioners discovered that he suffered from pneumomediastinum, also called “mediastinal emphysema”. This is a rare lung problem related to a sudden increase in intrathoracic pressure. Clearly, in this situation, air is present in the mediastinum, a cavity in the center of the thorax, or the space between the lungs. In the case of the young Swiss, relayed by the DailyMailthe air spread to the base of his skull.
No sequelae
After this discovery, the patient was admitted to intensive care and kept under observation. “Oxygen delivery could be tapered off via nasal cannula within hours. Mild chest pain was successfully treated with paracetamol. Intravenous antibiotic treatment was given for a total of three days,” specified the health professionals.
During the following nights, the twenty-something’s state of health improved, but the chest pains persisted for three more days. He was transferred to another department of the hospital. “The subsequent clinical course was uncomplicated, the emphysema resolved four days after initial admission and the patient was discharged home,” can we read in the report.
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