Woman Thought Her Extreme Cough Was Due to Dog Hair. It Was Actually from Inhaling Her Own Nose Piercing

In a bizarre turn of events that shocked both her and medical professionals, a young woman from Kentucky discovered the shocking cause behind her severe cough: a misplaced nose piercing. Shelby Willis, 25, began experiencing an intense coughing episode in May 2023, which she initially attributed to inhaling hair from her ex-boyfriend’s golden retriever.

Willis, who works as a pharmacy technician in Ashland, described her cough as “unlike anything I had experienced before.” She characterised her symptoms as so severe that they left her bent over in an effort to catch her breath. “It was like I was trying to cough my lungs up,” she exclaimed, illustrating the severity of her discomfort.

Initially, Willis believed that her cough was linked to dog fur. “He had a golden retriever, so I thought it would have been that because there was a lot of dog hair around,” she explained. Despite her attempts to alleviate the condition with cough medication, the persistent attack forced her to consult a doctor in June 2023.

During her doctor’s visit, she conveyed her suspicion that she may have inhaled something foreign. As a result, the doctor recommended a chest X-ray to determine the cause of her distress. “The X-ray tech started asking me if I had anything metal in my chest,” she recalled, and her confusion transformed into disbelief when she saw the image. “I remember saying, ‘What the f—‘ over and over,” she stated, realising the source of her ailment was her own septum piercing.

The X-ray revealed that the jewellery had accidentally been inhaled and was lodged in her bronchi, the large tubes responsible for transporting air from the windpipe to the lungs. “I was shocked and scared,” Willis admitted after seeing the X-ray. She expressed anxiety over how the medical team would extricate the piercing safely.

Looking back, she identified a crucial detail: the piercing had fallen out around the same time her coughing began. However, she initially brushed it off, erroneously assuming that it was a routine occurrence. “I knew it had fallen out, but that piercing would fall out all the time,” she said. Consequently, she simply replaced it and continued with her daily routine.

To resolve the predicament, Willis underwent a bronchoscopy, a minimally invasive medical procedure. This involved inserting a camera and specialized instruments into her airway, enabling the doctors to remove the foreign object from her respiratory system. “I was scared, but I was more relieved than anything [to have the piercing extracted],” she shared after the procedure, indicating a sense of relief at the resolution of her cough.

Now, having transformed her experience into a cautionary tale, Willis urges others to ensure that their body jewellery is securely fastened. She has since opted for a new “clicker”-style septum piercing to avoid future incidents. “Make sure your piercings are secured, and don’t wear one that will fall out really easily,” she advised. Moreover, she emphasised the importance of tightened components, warning that negligence could lead to much more severe health risks.

Reflecting on her ordeal, Willis acknowledged the potential consequences had the piercing become lodged further in her lungs or if it had caught on something vital. “If it had gotten in my lungs, or if it had caught on something, then it could have caused a lot of damage,” she concluded.

Willis’s experience highlights the often overlooked safety measures surrounding body jewellery, particularly for those who wear piercings. As bizarre as her story may sound, it serves as an important reminder to maintain awareness and take precautionary steps when it comes to ensuring personal safety and health.