Just like the saying goes that ‘love can kill’, there are also little habits and obsessions some people have that can land you in the hospital if you're not careful. Peng, a 37-year-old man from Zhangzhou, ended up in the ER as a result of something that he did every day that was seemingly so innocent, yet difficult to comprehend for lots of people.
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Peng had started to develop severe chest pains and a bad cough. He was admitted to the hospital where doctors treated him for pneumonia, but after a few days, his health had not improved and he was still experiencing the same symptoms. Since the possibility of pneumonia had been ruled out, doctors examined him again and finally found the real problem.
Peng didn’t have pneumonia, but according to specialists, he had contracted a serious fungal infection in his lungs that is believed to have been caused by inhaling spores from a fungus that is usually found inside the footwear. Nobody could explain how this had happened, but then the patient ended up confessing his little obsession. He had become ‘addicted to socks’ and had been smelling the socks he had been wearing all day when he returned from work every day.
Doctors haven’t been able to prove that this strange habit was solely responsible for his lung infection, although it is a key and determining factor. Doctors have added that his infection could also be attributed to the patient’s lack of rest at home, leading to a weaker immune system...
This unpleasant little habit of his almost cost him his life. Luckily, once they found the source of the infection, they were able to treat him properly and Peng is now on the road to recovery. The most difficult thing for him now will be overcoming his strange addiction.
