Latest news with #skininfection
The Sun
15-07-2025
- Health
- The Sun
Man, 22, discovers a WORM wriggling around inside his penis after trip to the beach
A MAN was left with a worm squirming under the skin of his penis after a trip to the beach. The 22-year-old from Colombo, Sri Lanka, went to a sexual health clinic with an itchy, snake-like rash on his manhood that had been there for a week. He told medics he'd been lying on a nearby beach with bare skin touching the sand days earlier. Doctors at St Mary's Community Health Campus in Portsmouth reported the case in the BMJ journal of Sexually Transmitted Infections, describing a raised, red rash about 5cm long along the top of his penis. They diagnosed him with cutaneous larva migrans (CLM), a skin infection caused by tiny worm larvae that burrow just beneath the skin. Known as a creeping infection, CLM causes itchy red lines that snake across the skin as the larvae move. The larvae come from hookworms found in the poop of animals like dogs, cats, and cows. CLM is common in tropical places like Sri Lanka, especially when skin is exposed to contaminated soil or sand. The larvae usually infect the soles of the feet, as they are the parts of the body most in contact with the ground. If left untreated, the rash can get infected, causing painful redness, swelling, and even pus-filled sores. Scratching only makes it worse and risks serious skin infections needing antibiotics. The lad was treated with a three-day course of oral albendazole and the rash cleared up within a week. Worms Although genital cases are rare, doctors say it's important to act quickly and prescribe anti-worm medication. "Travellers to tropical beaches need to take precautions to avoid these unfavorable incidents," the authors wrote. If you're heading to tropical beaches this summer, avoid bare skin contact with sand by wearing shoes and sitting on a towel or mat. This simple step stops larvae from burrowing under your skin and causing painful, creeping rashes, according to The weirdest things found inside the human body – from a fly buzzing around a man's gut to a coconut and deodorant can IT is not unusual for doctors to find random objects inside people's bodies. Whether they are inhaled by accident, inserted for erotic pleasure or as a means to try and solve a health problem like constipation, doctors see it all. Medics recently found a fully intact fly buzzing around a man's intestines. Meanwhile, a lady in Taiwan recently made the news because a live spider and its discarded outer shell were found inside her ear. Spiders crawling inside the body are rare; those with arachnophobia will be pleased to hear. While the person giving a home to a spider had little choice, others accidentally inhale objects, while some even purposely stick things up themselves. A 2021 study found the vast majority - a whopping 88 per cent - of people attending A&E with this complaint are men. Some of these have included apples, an aubergine, a brush, pens, carrots, a deodorant can and pesticide containers. Inhaling objects is one of the most common causes of death in children under three. Some of the most commonly inhaled objects include coins, toys or magnets, peanuts, and even hot dogs. In one bizarre case published in Dove Press, doctors in Africa found a leech stuck in a little girl's throat, which was later safely removed. A postman from Preston, England, inhaled a Playmobil road cone as a child, but it was only discovered when the 47-year-old had his lungs scanned when he presented with a persistent cough. In another odd case, a man inhaled a pea, which was in place long enough for it to begin to sprout in his respiratory tract.
Daily Mail
03-07-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Why you should NEVER get a cheap massage in Thailand after traveller's gross find
A doctor has warned travellers about getting cheap massages in Southeast Asia - after a tourist's supposedly relaxing experience turned into a nightmare. Dr Joe Whittington spoke out about a woman's confronting video showing her boyfriend with unsightly, painful bumps all over his legs after he paid just $5 for a massage from an elderly worker in a backstreet alleyway in Thailand. Things took a terrifying turn when the man woke up the next morning with red, pus-filled pimples on his legs after contracting folliculitis - a painful skin condition caused by inflammation of the hair follicles. 'When the massage is $5 and the infection is free,' Dr Whittington said in his video. 'This poor guy walked into an alley for relaxation and left with a dermatology consult. Ever heard of folliculitis? It's what happens when bacteria and bad decisions team up... Folliculitis can show up as red bumps or even pus-filled lesions.' The ER doctor said the man had developed a staphylococcus aureus infection, which can spread through direct contact with an infected person or contaminated surfaces. 'What you see here is folliculitis - it's when your hair follicles get infected with a bacteria like staph aureus. It's your immune system flipping the table like, "What in the unsanitary hell was that?"' Dr Whittington explained. 'This happens when dirty hands, reused oils or uncleaned towels introduce bacteria into the skin. And guess what? Sweaty legs, open pores and alleyway massages are the perfect recipe.' The female employee was seen in the video wearing a face mask - but despite the protection, Dr Whittington warned that the bacteria could still spread from her bare hands to the client. 'She's masked up while rubbing you down with her biohazard hands,' he said. The US emergency medical physician said most common cases can be treated with soap, water and time - but some may require medications such as antibiotics to relieve symptoms and address the underlying cause. 'So if your massage table is made of concrete and there's a moped parked next to it, maybe just stretch and call it a day, bro,' Dr Whittington advised. His video has been viewed more than 37,000 times, leaving many people feeling uneasy about cheap massages in Asia after the doctor's warning. 'Oh no! that is scary,' one said. 'Yikes! Um, no thanks,' another shared. A licensed massage therapist weighed in on the case, saying: 'This is wild. This isn't just in Thailand, this can happen anywhere - there isn't regulations or when someone "sets up shop" without an education and license.' Meanwhile, many travellers shared their own experiences of getting massages in Asia, while others urged everyone to be vigilant. 'As someone who just came back from Thailand and had about five different massages in proper spas, I can unequivocally say they are absolutely amazing. Stick to authorised establishments and enjoy,' one said. 'Oh man I got a massage every day I was in Thailand! Of course at actual massage places though. Literally the best massages I've ever had,' another shared.
