Man had an infection in the head for 5 years - Was a cotton swab the trigger?

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The patient suffered from a headache for years - doctors were at a loss

A British patient complained of headaches for years, the doctors were overwhelmed and could not make a diagnosis until the man was hospitalized with a seizure. This was triggered by an infection in his head. When the doctors discovered the reason for this, there was great surprise.

A five-year ordeal

The British patient complained of recurring headaches for five years, and pain in the left ear at irregular intervals. This also led to a slight numbness.

Symptoms have not been recognized for years

The clues were always irregular and were initially ignored by the young man, who had no other health problems. When his condition suddenly worsened and, in addition to the headache that occurred, symptoms such as nausea, lack of memory and even a seizure, he ended up in the emergency room.

CT scan gave astonishing results

The treating team of physicians took a CT scan of the head and made a disturbing find. Pus abscesses had formed very close to the brain. These contained the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The pathogen caused inflammation of the outer ear canal tissue in the British man. A disease that is actually more familiar from water sports. Swimmers know this uncomfortable but easily treatable disease well.

The patient had bacteria in his head for years

In comparison to a normal form of the disease, the bacteria have penetrated into the skull inside the patient. In some cases, this led to the death of some cells. The treating doctors finally found the trigger for the whole story deep in their ears. A piece of cotton wool from a normal cotton swab remains in the ear after cleaning and triggered the serious infection. Due to the duration and severity, the cotton test must have been in your ear for years.

The patient has survived the course of the disease

Since antibiotic treatment and the removal of the cotton swab, the man is now well again. The doctors recently published the minutes of the case in the journal BMJ Journals and reiterated that the patient had no neurological complaints.

It is better not to use cotton swabs

The young man learned his lesson from there and from then on no longer used cotton swabs for ear hygiene. Doctors have long warned against the use of cotton swabs. Because these do not clean, but only push the ear wax further and further in front of the eardrum. The stick itself can cause ear canal injuries. The ear wax is not a sign of insufficient hygiene but rather protects the ear and keeps the pH value of the skin neutral. In addition, pathogens can settle in the ear canal without sufficient ear wax. (fm)