This poor girl had her tongue pierced, developed a brain abscess, and if they hadn't done a craniotomy--- she would have died.
She apparently still has a "soft spot" under her scalp where the bone was removed. In other words, brain.
Posted on 03/10/2006 6:07:07 PM PST by wagglebee
(CP) - A 17-year-old Newfoundland girl is believed to have died from toxic shock syndrome - and the infection that killed her may have resulted from a nipple piercing, the province's chief medical examiner says.
Dr. Simon Avis said in an interview from St. John's that the teenage girl, who died Thursday, had been admitted to hospital earlier this week "with medical problems that were quite complex." Her name has not been released.
Avis said it is too early to say for certain that the apparent toxic shock syndrome was caused by infection at the site of the piercing. An anatomical autopsy was performed, but other microscopic tests need to be conducted before the source of the staphylococcus infection can be pinpointed, he said.
"We're still in the process of investigating," he said. "We can't be absolutely sure that body piercing had anything to do with the infection."
Still, Avis conceded that of the many possible origins of the toxic shock syndrome, "I think it would be fair to say that we're suspicious that that (body piercing) was the source of the infection, yes."
Toxic shock syndrome is characterized by sudden fever, chills, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle aches and rash, says the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The cause is usually toxins produced by strains of Staphylococcus aureus, a bacterium commonly found on the skin and on mucous membranes, such as the mouth.
Toxic shock can occur as a complication of skin abscesses or surgery. In females, it has been linked to the use of tampons and intravaginal contraceptive devices.
Avis said his office is now investigating the circumstances surrounding the teen's nipple piercing.
"This girl came to hospital almost moribund," he said. "All we know is she had a piercing recently. We are now trying to investigate when that was done."
Part of that investigation will involve talking to the grieving family of the teen, who was a senior at Booth Memorial High School in St. John's.
Avis said her death might be "an extreme example" of what can occur when people have lips, tongues, eyebrows, genitals and other body parts punctured in the name of fashion.
"This is health dollars that are essentially wasted treating infections that shouldn't have occurred because of some desire to have a piece of metal sticking out of your body. It doesn't make much sense to me."
Well, that's an understatement.
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" Nipple piercing may have caused fatal infection in Newfoundland 17-year-old"
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Note to self: do not pierce nipples.
DUH!
sometimes stupid hurts
The only part to be pierced is the nose, so one could put a ring through and tie the pierced person to a tree in a pasture.
Canada ping.
That would probably fit in with the whole "bondage" thing.
The neighbor girl where we used to live had her tongue pierced. It swelled waaay up. Moron. She lived to tell about it but why, on God's green earth, would someone want to pierce ANY part of their body that is so sensitive to pain? The point is.....?
Stupid always hurts.
It's only a matter of when... ...and how often.
When I was younger, I was in a car accident and bit a deep gash in my tongue, the doctor was able to stitch it up and it was fine, but nothing in my life was ever as painful.
This poor girl had her tongue pierced, developed a brain abscess, and if they hadn't done a craniotomy--- she would have died.
She apparently still has a "soft spot" under her scalp where the bone was removed. In other words, brain.
Ears too. Any hole in your skin any where not properly taken care of can get infected and kill you.
Me neither.
That happens when you say "I Do".
Ambrose Bierce held that a ring is put on lady's finger and on gentleman's ankle.
/Sarc./
http://www.free-beauty-tips.com/nipple-piercing.html
I mean piercing is so MACHO , and you demonstrate that you can function as a slave who offers control of their body via such metallic handles.
Piercings were a caste designator in India, and the rings WERE used to physically control women and men who were slaves.
Now that symbol of slavery, the piercing , has morphed into "body jewelry" today, modern SLAVE WANNA BEs.
I can arrange for a through the head piercing for anyone who wants it.
But the US government wants to put a ring in every nose.
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