23-year-old woman rushed to hospital with collapsed lung after vaping
A 23-year-old woman is warning people against vaping after she was rushed to hospital with a collapsed lung.
Taking to TikTok to share her story – which has since been viewed over four million times – university student Grace Brassell says she woke up "coughing blood". Believing she had a bruised rib or similar, Grace headed to A&E where an x-ray left her doctor "freaked out".
"My whole left lung collapsed," the young woman said in the TikTok. "It literally spontaneously popped because I’m tall and thin." Explaining exactly what had happened, Grace revealed she had suffered a spontaneous pneumothorax, adding that although this was not directly caused by vaping, the habit didn't help. "This didn’t happen directly [because] of vaping but the vaping could have killed me," she said in a comment on the clip.
A spontaneous pneumothorax, according to Asthma and Lung UK, is when a collapsed lung develops in an otherwise healthy person, for no apparent reason. "It’s the most common type of pneumothorax and happens most often in healthy young adults," the charity adds, noting that: "Primary spontaneous pneumothoraxes occur due to a small tear on the outer part of the lung."
As for what can cause a collapsed lung, the charity notes that "small blisters" can cause air to escape from the lung which then gets trapped in the chest wall.
Speaking about what happened next, Grace says that doctors had to "shove a massive tube in my lungs". In her TikTok, the student describes the ordeal as the "most excruciating pain" she's ever been in. "Please stop vaping," she added in the caption.
Her video clearly sparked concern amongst fellow vapers on the social media platform, with plenty of TikTokers heading to the comments section. "The tube in [your] rib is the worst pain ever, the same thing happened to me two months ago," said one person, with another writing: "Currently trying to quit [vaping], made it 6 hours the other day."
Other TikTokers highlighted how traumatic the ordeal would have been. "That’s so scary!!! Glad you were able to see a Dr and get a diagnosis," a third person commented on her clip.
Doctors and dentists alike have warned against using vapes, which are growing in popularity, particularly amongst younger adults.
This article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice or diagnosis. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
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