Tongue Piercing Causes Brain Abscess

New Scientist ^ | 12-13-2001 | Jeff Hecht

[blam]

Tongue piercing causes brain abscess

14:41 13 December 01
Jeff Hecht

Parents now have another reason to frown on tongue piercing - a potentially fatal brain abscess suffered by a young woman in Connecticut.

The woman's tongue became sore and swollen two or three days after it was pierced, and she reported a foul-tasting discharge from the pierced region. The infection healed in a few days after she removed the stud from her tongue, but a month later she suffered severe headaches, fever, nausea and vomiting.

A scan at the Yale University hospital revealed the brain abscess, which physicians drained. She recovered after six weeks of intravenous antibiotic treatment.

"This sort of brain abscess is very serious," Richard Martinello of Yale's medical school told New Scientist. Modern medicine can kill the infecting bacteria, but he says "in the past, there was a very high mortality rate."

In the blood

Such brain abscesses are rare, and normally linked to sinus or ear infections. The patient showed no sign of sinus problems, and Martinello said the bacteria that cause the brain abscess "were those typically found in persons' mouths".

The blood commonly picks up some bacteria from infections, but normally the immune system wipes them out. In this case, he thinks the blood carried enough bacteria from the tongue infection to cause the brain abscess.

Infections at the sites of body piercings are relatively common, but this is the first brain abscess linked to any piercing. The tongue is particularly vulnerable to infections because the mouth is warm, moist and full of bacteria.

Martinello says it is important to realise that such infections have the potential to cause dangerous complications.

14:41 13 December 01

[blam]

Title should say, "Brain Damage Necessary Before Tongue Piercing."

[JenB]

Funny, I always knew tongue piercings were a sign of brain damage - I just thought the damage came first!

[Uncle George]

Is that a hole I see in Hitlerys tongue?

[realpatriot71]

Two Words: Isolated Incident

[chainsaw]

Is that a hole I see in Hitlerys tongue?

No. What you are looking at is an in omplete split tongue. Did you see any fangs folded up?

[RANGERAIRBORNE]

LOL! You beat me to it- I was going to re-title this post "BRAIN ABSCESSES CAUSE TONGUE PIERCING"!

(And don't ANY of you try to explain the joys of having your tongue pierced to me- I've been around the globe several times, and even attended a couple of goat-ropings and a chili coook-off- and I STILL don't understand these morons!)

[Mr. K]

I am actually all for tongue piercing...

It helps recognize who the stupid people are and they do it willingly! (as opposed to my plan to stamp a big red S on their forehead)

[FormerLib]

Natural selection always finds a way.

[NatureGirl]

I am actually all for tongue piercing...

Sign on Jeff 'n' Akbar's Piercing Hut:

"Remember - It's not self-mutilation if we do it for you!!"

[TightSqueeze]

The woman's tongue became…

If I should ever become single again, and the chance is quite remote, I will only date women who have pierced their tongue, it would be the prudent thing to do, except of course if you live in Virginia.

[ChemistCat]

The nice thing about tongue piercing and body modification causing brain abscesses is that it can make ABSOLUTEY NO DIFFERENCE--these folks aren't using their brains anyway.

Note: this is a real photo of a real person. And he LIKES it like this. It don't take all kinds, we just got all kinds.....

[Capitalist Eric]

A Poster-child for retroactive birth control...

[ChemistCat]

I keep wondering how his mother feels about all this. You'd think that alone would keep someone from doing this--knowing he was putting lizard skin around eyes he inherited from his parents....

But the picture amazes me so much that I definitely remember it when a thread like this pops up on FR. If he wanted to be memorable, he managed it.

[Hank Kerchief]

This is almost cause for changing one's view to pro-choice, heh?

Hank

[Hillary's Lovely Legs]

I think tongue piercing is not only stupid, but it's hideous. Many girls do it because they say it brings more pleasure for men during Monica Acts. I can't fathom the low self esteem it must take to mutilate your body for someone else's desires.

If parents only knew why their little precious darlings were doing this, they would be more horrified than they already are.

[Hillary's Lovely Legs]

I saw that lizard guy on TV. He and his wife are both tattoo artists and tattoo each other. She has her entire face and body tattooed like a tiger. It's not a good look.

[Mr. K]

I hope you read the rest of my post- where I said I preferred tongue piercing over my original plan to stamp a big 'S' on the forehead of the stupid people, because they will do the piercing thing willingly :)

[Hillary's Lovely Legs]

With tongue piercing you don't need the Big S. You just open your mouth and remove all doubt.

[Mr. K]

um.... that's my point (apparently my attempt at humor was only funny to me :)

[Hillary's Lovely Legs]

Your humor wasn't lost at all. The humor is that there are people in the year 2001 who think this is attractive. Why don't they just shove hot nails in their eyeballs. It makes just as much sense.

[Poohbah]

Why don't they just shove hot nails in their eyeballs

PLEASE, don't give these people any ideas...

[Ward Smythe]

Two Words: Isolated Incident

Even so, that doesn't make it a good idea...

[realpatriot71]

Even so, that doesn't make it a good idea...

Nor does it make it a bad idea. Looks like its really a rather neutral idea, no matter how you personally feel.

[MotleyGirl70]

I'm surprised this wasn't posted by DrainBramage

[skye]

I'm sorry to tell you, but you are wrong. In your obvious haste to dismiss anybody who so much as changes their hair colour from what god intended, you omitted to check your facts. The picture was of Erik Sprague, aka The Lizardman, (a psychology graduate and with a near-genius-level IQ, by the way). He is dating, but not married. You seem to be thinking of ThEnigma, who is tattooed like a jigsaw, and his wife Katzen, who has large black stripe tattoos. I don't have enough time in my life to argue with you on your other facile and misguided comments, but I thought I ought to at least correct your facts.

PS. Please check out BME if you, against all evidence, have an open mind and are willing to learn about why people pierce their tongues, get tattoos, and have done since prehistoric times.

[maxwell]

Why what's up with Virginia... Sounds like CT has got the problem...

[Ann Archy]

Tongue piercing is a BAD idea....PERIOD!!

[Hillary's Lovely Legs]

Well newbie, I have no problem with people who colour their hair. Almost all women do something to the colour of their hair. And you are correct, the tigerfaced wierdo is married to the puzzlefaced freak.

[Amelia]

I have a student who recently got her tongue pierced. (She's also pregnant by a boy who's in 9th grade for the 3rd or 4th time, but that's another story....)

She was showing off her pierced tongue for the other kids the other day, and said something to me. I asked her if she'd be talking like a 3-year-old from now on, or if that would go away?

Haven't heard anything else about the tongue-piercing since.

[riley1992]

Personally, I find it hideous looking but if someone wants to do it, it's entirely their choice. I wouldn't do it myself but I also don't find any reason to make a value judgement on them for doing so.

[reagan_fanatic]

I wonder if this guy's ever had that problem...

[Hillary's Lovely Legs]

Your story makes me believe that your student has a solid history of making unwise decisions.

[Amelia]

True, but kind of proves your stupidity point, doesn't it? < grin >

[realpatriot71]

Tongue piercing is a BAD idea....PERIOD!!

Is this supposed to be some sort an argument? You see, most people would at least try to follow up this kind of statement with some sort of supporting facts. You, however, seem to think you can make some sort of blanket statement, and then have it accepted as gospel. It is argumentitive, and has no place in rational debate. It's similar to me saying, "Mac and Cheese is the best . . . PERIOD!" How, idiotic and inane does that sound? You want to dicuss, this, fine, but you better come with something better than.

[skye]

I totally agree. I don't mind having a discussion where I put forward my case for letting people make their own decisions about their own bodies (and I will even accept being patronisingly called "newbie" if it comes to it), but it's very hard to argue against someone who has no concept of the necessity of having evidence.

I don't care if any of you don't have tongue piercings, and I would expect the same courtesy of assuming I have a right to make decisions for myself to be extended to me too.

yes, i am a newbie to this discussion group, and that's only because I joined specifically because of this discussion thread. I was appalled at the narrow-minded fascism which most people at least have the wisdom to keep hidden. I'm sure that all of you are intelligent people, so how about an intelligent discussion?

So you may not have a problem with people dyeing their hair, how then can you have a problem with someone getting a piercing? They are doing because they think it will look better, it makes them happy, and because they have a right to project their image as they wish - can't you see that hair colour, piercing, breast implants, cosmetic dentistry, tattoos etc are all part of the same spectrum?

[realpatriot71]

Howya doin' newbie! :-)

People around here will not like your thinking outside of the "collective republican box". You will probably be subject to ad homenem attacks as well as terrible straw man arguments that you will have to again, and again, point out are NOT real arguments. If you can handle that, it will be nice to have you around.

Good luck.

[bwteim]

Way to go! Ping and Zing.

[boris]

The Eyes Have It:

--Boris

[JMJ333]

Ah yes, in the subjective world of relativism, it is neither a good nor bad idea. However, those of us who dwell outside moral utopia can recognize that sticking a metal spike through your tongue is idiotic.

[OldDominion]

It helps recognize who the stupid people are and they do it willingly! (as opposed to my plan to stamp a big red S on their forehead)

Here's one for you...my 18 year daughter, who is 4.0 student, in the National Honor society, and scored 1375 on her SAT's has been campaigning hard for me to let her get her tongue pierced. Never underestimate the power of something "being cool" .

This article gives me more ammo!!

[Capt.YankeeMike]

self mutilation is NOT the sign of intelligent life

[NC_Libertarian]

I've seen that guy before. I wonder how he's going to feel about that when he's 40. Tattoos don't age well.

[Djarum]

bump

How can anyone joke that someone should die for piercing their tongue? Why is body modification morally wrong? The piercing is decorative and even functional for some. Kids are more likely to die crossing the street or using firearms. Just like liberals you will use anything to justify forcing your belief system on others. It's not right.

[JMJ333]

The piercing is decorative and even functional for some.

Decorative perhaps, but functional???? For what? Oral sex?

Kids are more likely to die crossing the street or using firearms. Just like liberals you will use anything to justify forcing your belief system on others. It's not right.

I don't see where anyone said we were going to use force to stop you from mutilating yourself. It's just that we think you're a maroon.

[Djarum]

Yes, it is functional for oral sex.

The 'banter' in this thread is what I put up with from liberals when they find out I own firearms: 'Anyone stupid enough to own guns will remove themselves or their kids from the gene pool', 'Firearms are barbaric weapons of murder'. I will not malign another for having a tongue piercing merely because I find them unattractive. My energy is better spent defending my own beliefs (some of which happened to be protected rights at one time).

[realpatriot71]

However, those of us who dwell outside moral utopia can recognize that sticking a metal spike through your tongue is idiotic.

Expand upon this please. How are morals involved here? Also, you have not given any evidence for the idiocy of tounge peircing other than your stated opinion. You see, this is not a very good argument. One cannot make blanket statements and expect them to be accepted without supporting evidence, facts, and arguments. Try again.

[JMJ333]

Yes, it is functional for oral sex.

Yeeeeow! A bit kinky, no?!

If that is what you choose to engage in, I won't try and stop you. I'm going to express my belief system but I don't want you to take it as a personal condemnation of you.

I won't be joining you in the kinky area because I think the behavior reduces sex to recreation and human beings to mere playthings and sex machines. I prefer sex within the confines of matrimony in the communion of love, which focuses on the individual, not the act. I don't think sex should be used as a simple tool of masturbatory and voyeuristic gratification.

And yes, I do indeed have on my asbestos! ;)

[cjshapi]

Hmmm functional and decorative.

I work for a computer software help desk and several years ago one of my coworkers decided to add a tongue barbell to her collection of tattoos. It certainly was decorative and she was quite happy to show all of us her newly acquired infection. Believe me when I say we didn't ask to see this. Functional? Perhaps. Management received no less than twenty complaints from customers who stated she was both difficult to understand and annoying because she constantly clicked her barbell against her teeth and they could hear it.

To each his own but I sure can't understand that choice.