WARNING: Graphic medical photos. Not for the squeamish!
For most websites, “Image of the Week” means pretty panoramas or funny snapshots. Over at the New England Journal of Medicine’s website, it means disturbing fuel for the hypochondriac fire. The site features images of some frightening physical symptoms, and more than a few of them are the result of drug and alcohol use. So, in case you or someone you love needs it, here are a few more reasons to just say “no.”
Fair warning: some of these are a bit disturbing.
An otherwise healthy 25-year-old man managed to wear away a dime-sized hole in the roof of his mouth (a condition known as palatal perforation) thanks to a five-year cocaine habit. The man came to the surgical clinic looking to have the hole repaired because it allowed food to pass through his nose when he ate.
The condition simply known as “black hairy tongue,” or lingua villosa nigra, is medically benign, but seems like it could have some fatal side effects in social and romantic situations. This tongue belongs to an 85-year-old cigar smoker, and while the exact cause of black hairy tongue is unknown, relevant factors may include psychotropic agents, smoking, drinking alcohol, and poor oral hygiene. In some cases, black hairy tongue can only be removed with surgery.
A 54-year-old cocaine and opiates user went to the hospital with a painful rash on her face, chest and extremities. Tests showed that the rash was consistent with the toxic effects of an additive thought to enhance the euphoric effects of cocaine.
While the patient in this image was not a drug user, the condition known as “nail clubbing” can result from heroin use; but the result looks more like an LSD trip. Nail clubbing is the swelling of the fingers and toes underneath the nail, resulting in out of proportion digits.
Sometimes the most dangerous drugs are the legal ones. This X-ray sheds perfect light on a bar-room stunt in which a drunk man managed to stick an entire beer bottle up his rectum. Doctors were able to remove the bottle without breaking it, and the man’s recovery was uneventful once the anal bleeding subsided.
Oops, missed the “squeamish” note at the top. Still good uh… health advice, in this article. All due respect to the patient concerned, what did the emergency call sound like for the last one? What did he tell the physician once he got to the hospital?
Speaking of which, did he need to call an ambulance, or did he just drive to the emergency room himself? Ow…
In addition: help
rectum? damn near killed em
I’m sure that last one happens fairly often. I’ve certainly seen plenty partially inserted bottles before. There could easily be a tumblr tag for it.
Yessss. I live for this stuff. Don’t listen to the haters, it’s definitely nerdy. Thanks for the link!
If you *really* want some graphic images to keep you away from drug usage, check some pictures and videos about “Krokodil”
Well, in a word: horrific. Still, this informative article (photos, warts, and all) should be party of America’s schools’ health classes’ curriculum.
As someone who actually works for the NEJM, (seriously, my name’s on the masthead and everything!) I wanted to say thanks to Nerdist for the shout-out. We enjoy these gross pictures way more than we ought to.
(forgot to add)
..but thanks for the Nancy Reagan “say no to drugs” post, I think?
rectum, I hardly knew ’em!
This is neither nerdy or artist. Kinda gross. Yet I still clicked on the link……..