Man in China gets light bulb stuck in mouth after attempting online challenge
Easy in, difficult out. A man in eastern China learnt his lesson the hard way after attempting a “light bulb challenge”.
Identified by only his surname Chen, the man watched an online video of someone who stuffed a light bulb in his mouth only to find out that it was impossible to pull it out by himself, according to local media CGTN.
He did not believe the man’s claim, so he tried the challenge and ended up in the same predicament. With the glass bulb stuck in his mouth and the metal base protruding out, he could neither speak nor swallow.
The incident happened last week at the city of Yuyao in Zhejiang province.
Mr Chen first sought help from local firemen, who were hesitant to remove the light bulb because if the glass bulb were to break, it would cause injuries.
They took him to a hospital, where a doctor had to gingerly free the bulb from his mouth with the help of a mouth opener.
Much to Mr Chen’s relief, the doctor succeeded.
According to the doctor, Mr Chen had the light bulb stuck in his mouth for more than two hours. He also said Mr Chen had dislocated one side of his jaw.
In 2017, Chinese doctors also warned the public against trying to fit “light bulb sweets”, which were 6cm in diameter and 10cm long, into their mouth. It was then a trendy online challenge, reported BBC.
But why is it so hard to pull out an object that can enter the mouth quite easily?
A video from TheSoul Publishing explains that while the bulb’s shape allows it to be easily inserted into the mouth, taking it out is problematic.
This may be because part of the bulb strikes against the teeth, and the jaw muscles tense up and become clenched.
When the victim cannot remove the bulb, fear paralyses the clenched muscles.
The video also advises the public against removing the bulb by themselves, as the glass may break and cause injuries to the mouth cavity.
It added that it is better to avoid experimenting with the challenge altogether.
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