A Florida man who suffers from chronic migraines got the shock of a lifetime when he went to see his doctor.
According to the study of the shocking case, published in the American Journal of Case Reports Thursday, the unidentified 52-year-old from Orlando sought help after the pain levels steadily increased over the last four months, and his medication stopped helping ease the debilitating effects.
CT and MRI scans of his brain were ordered, which revealed multiple cysts on both sides, as well as significant swelling.
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Specialists discovered a tapeworm had laid eggs in his brain, which were irritating the tissue under his skull. He was diagnosed with neurocysticercosis.
While the patient told doctors he hadn’t travelled out of the country recently, he did say he had a “preference for soft bacon.”
His doctors believe the parasite entered his body when he consumed undercooked bacon, and travelled to his brain through the bloodstream.
There are an average of about 1100 hospitalisations due to neurocysticercosis in the US each year, according to the CDC.
It’s most commonly contracted through eating directly contaminated food, or touching a contaminated surface and then eating.
The patient was given anti-inflammatory medications for the swelling in his brain four times a day as well as antiparasitic drugs for two weeks.
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