A 25-year-old woman from Kentucky was left stunned after doctors discovered that her persistent cough was caused by a septum piercing lodged inside her airway.
Shelby Willis initially believed her severe cough had been triggered by inhaling dog hair from her former boyfriend’s pet.
Persistent cough led to shocking discovery
According to reports, Willis began experiencing an intense cough in May 2023 that often left her struggling to breathe.
Despite taking cough medication, her condition reportedly did not improve, prompting her to visit a doctor the following month.
During a chest X-ray, medical staff reportedly noticed a metal object inside her chest and questioned whether she had any metal implants.
Willis later realised the object was her missing septum piercing.
Piercing lodged inside airway
Doctors discovered that the nose piercing had become lodged in her bronchi, one of the major air passages connecting the windpipe to the lungs.
Willis recalled that her piercing had fallen out around the same time her cough began, but she assumed it had simply gone missing and replaced it with another one.
She said she had no idea she had accidentally inhaled it.
Doctors remove jewellery through procedure
To remove the piercing, doctors performed a bronchoscopy, a minimally invasive medical procedure in which a camera and specialised tools are inserted through the airway.
Willis said she felt relieved after the procedure successfully removed the jewellery.
She later warned others with body piercings to ensure their jewellery is tightly secured to avoid similar incidents.
Incident sparks online reactions
The unusual medical case quickly gained attention online, with many social media users expressing shock over how easily small jewellery items could accidentally enter the airway.
Medical experts say inhaled foreign objects can become dangerous if not detected early, potentially causing breathing difficulties, infections, or lung damage.