Episode notes
When a little girl in Vietnam starts mysteriously bleeding from her scalp and hands, her doctors wonder if she’s faking it for attention – to make it seem like she’s experiencing stigmata, the wounds experienced by Jesus Christ in Christian scripture. The blood on the girl’s skin is real enough, but nobody is ever around when she starts to bleed. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Podcast
MrBallen’s Medical Mysteries
Audible | Ballen Studios · True Crime · English
The human body is a miracle. But when it’s not working, it can be the stuff of nightmares. On this new series from master storyteller MrBallen, we’re sharing medical horror stories and diagnostic mysteries that are surgically calibrated to make your blood run cold. From bizarre, unheard-of diseases
More from MrBallen’s Medical Mysteries All episodes →
-
E85 · 20 May 2025 · 25 min
Ep. 85 | Maximum Volume
After a successful overseas tour, an American rock guitarist comes home with a troubling affliction. All of a sudden, his hearing is extremely sensitive – like everything is turned up to 11. When it doesn’t go away, he’s forced to give up everything he loves, including music. Trapped in his own personal hell, he desperately tries to find an answer before it becomes too much to bear.Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https://wondery.fm/wonderynewsletterFollow MrBallen's Medical Mysteries on Amazon Music, the Wondery App or…
-
E84 · 13 May 2025 · 26 min
Ep. 84 | The Sick Snowbird/A Spoonful of Sugar
“The Sick Snowbird”: After a lovely winter in Southern California, an older woman is excited to enjoy the spring in her native New Jersey. But when she starts experiencing inexplicable nausea and headaches, she ends up in the hospital. With her baffling symptoms appearing and disappearing seemingly without reason, her condition seems inexplicable – but it turns out, her doctors just aren’t asking the right questions.“A Spoonful of Sugar”: When a successful real estate agent starts acting confused and erratic at work, her colleagues wonder if she’s getting drunk on the job. In reality, she’s…
-
E83 · 6 May 2025 · 26 min
Ep. 83 | The Disappearing Girl
When a vivacious preteen girl with Down syndrome suddenly becomes shy and withdrawn, her mother worries her precious daughter is getting depressed. But soon, it becomes clear that something else is wrong. With every passing day, the girl withdraws deeper into her shell. Her mother is determined to figure out what’s wrong before she loses her daughter forever.Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https://wondery.fm/wonderynewsletter See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at…
-
E82 · 29 Apr 2025 · 24 min
Ep. 82 | Running on Empty
A young, active mother is dismayed when she starts feeling weak and exhausted – with small children and a business to run, she can’t afford to get sick. But none of her doctors can offer an explanation. And when she finally does get an answer… it feels like a betrayal of everything she’s worked to accomplish.Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https://wondery.fm/wonderynewsletter See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
-
E81 · 22 Apr 2025 · 32 min
Ep. 81 | Unraveling Bolero/Crossing Over
“Unraveling Bolero”: When a middle-aged scientist experiences unexpected success as an artist, it seems like little more than a surprising career change. But then, she becomes obsessed with interpreting a repetitive orchestral piece called “Bolero.” As her obsession deepens, her health takes a turn for the worse – and the cause has a surprising connection to her favorite piece of music.“Crossing Over”: A few days after arriving in Boston, an immigrant from Mexico starts coughing up blood and experiencing horrible stomach pain. As doctors scramble to save his life, they have to contend with…
-
E79 · 8 Apr 2025 · 27 min
Ep. 79 | The Shining
In the early 1900s, a young woman gets a coveted job at a clock factory. But her work is interrupted when she feels terrible pain in her mouth. Soon, her whole jaw is rotting away. It’s up to her dentist to try and stop it. But his misguided moral judgements about the young woman’s life send him in the completely wrong direction. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
-
E78 · 1 Apr 2025 · 29 min
Ep. 78 | The Unbearable Itch
A recovering heroin addict wakes up one morning with an odd sensation on one side of her head: a nagging, constant itch. No matter what she tries, it won’t go away. And eventually it gets so bad… she literally starts to lose her mind. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
-
E77 · 25 Mar 2025 · 25 min
Ep. 77 | The Sliver/Killer Style
“The Sliver”: After a man survives a terrible car accident with only a cracked vertebra, he feels grateful to have emerged relatively unscathed. But after undergoing surgery to fix the problem, his pain only grows worse – and soon, he’s on the verge of death. And there are only hours left to save him. “Killer Style”: A young man in Turkey leaves his small village for the big city to chase his dreams. But soon, he finds himself so short of breath, he can’t work – let alone breathe. If he can’t work, he won’t be able to afford to stay. However, as his health gets worse and worse, his job is…
-
E76 · 18 Mar 2025 · 26 min
Ep. 76 | Stage Fright
When a high-achieving teenager suddenly starts to freeze up in social situations and her grades plummet, her mother tries to get her help. But doctors can’t explain why the girl is suddenly struggling to do ordinary things like talk. Before long, she’s a shell of herself… and her mother fears that soon there may be nothing left. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
-
E75 · 11 Mar 2025 · 25 min
Ep. 75 | Death from Above
In the town of Oakville, Washington, chaos erupts when mysterious blobs start falling from the sky – and anyone who touches them ends up in the hospital. As scientists struggle to understand what the blobs are, Oakville’s terrified residents are left to wonder if they’re the victims of a natural disaster… or a targeted attack. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
