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Rachel V Thomas

‘Kiss Of Death’: Can A Passionate Hickey Turn Fatal?

While a hickey is generally harmless, in several shocking incidents, it has led to strokes and even death.

A hickey is typically a dark red or dark purple mark on your skin caused by intense suction. 

According to health experts, the strong suction from the passionate love bite leads to blood clots that travel to the brain. It then blocks a vital artery and causes a embolic stroke.

Embolic stroke is a type of <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health/ischemic-stroke">ischemic stroke</a> caused by a blood clot or debris (embolus) that forms elsewhere in the body—often the heart—and travels through the bloodstream to block a blood vessel in the brain.

The Independent reported the case of 17-year-old Julio Macias Gonzalez, who suffered convulsions while eating dinner with his family after hanging out with his 24-year-old girlfriend and later died.

In a similar case reported from New Zealand, a 44-year-old woman suffered a stroke following a hickey. 

While non-fatal, the 2010 study published in the New Zealand Medical Journal reported the medical condition “a rare phenomenon.” 

In yet another case, the Danish Medical Journal reported the incident of a 35-year-old woman who experienced a sudden onset of right-sided weakness due to a left middle cerebral artery stroke 12 hours after she had obtained a love bite on the left side of her neck. 

“Generally speaking, hickeys are simply superficial bruising, and there’s no scientific evidence available that could inform our thinking about this situation as it relates to stroke,” Teresa Roncon, spokeswoman for the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, was quoted as saying Global News. 

While it's generally harmless, in some extreme cases, it can raise the risk of damaging the carotid or vertebral artery due to extreme pressure. 

The carotid arteries, one on each side of the neck, are responsible for supplying blood to the head, including the brain. Vigorous manipulation of the neck, including the action of a hickey, can cause the inner wall of the carotid artery to rupture. (This process is medically termed as carotid artery dissection). 

Such a dissection is a nidus, a place where bacteria can multiply, for the formation of a blood clot. The blood clot can then get dislodged and enter the brain circulation, eventually causing a stroke. 

While there is nothing wrong with giving or receiving love bites, it is imperative to note that one should not dig their teeth too deeply into the other person's neck to avoid injury and damage to sensitive structures like the carotid artery or the jugular vein (a vein that carries deoxygenated blood from the skull to the body).

While there are practically no ways to cure a hickey, you can speed up the healing process. These processes can help you expedite the process:

<ul><li>Alternate Cold and Warm Compresses</li><li>Avoid Worsening The Hickey</li><li>Massage The Area</li><li>Use Topical Creams.</li></ul>

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While a hickey is generally harmless, in several shocking incidents, it has led to strokes and even death. A hickey is typically a dark red or dark purple mark on your skin caused by intense suction. According to health experts, the strong suction from the passionate love bite leads to blood clots that travel to the brain. It then blocks a vital artery and causes a embolic stroke. Embolic stroke is a type of ischemic stroke caused by a blood clot or debris (embolus) that forms elsewhere in the body—often the heart—and travels through the bloodstream to block a blood vessel in the brain.The Independent reported the case of 17-year-old Julio Macias Gonzalez, who suffered convulsions while eating dinner with his family after hanging out with his 24-year-old girlfriend and later died. In a similar case reported from New Zealand, a 44-year-old woman suffered a stroke following a hickey. While non-fatal, the 2010 study published in the New Zealand Medical Journal reported the medical condition “a rare phenomenon.” In yet another case, the Danish Medical Journal reported the incident of a 35-year-old woman who experienced a sudden onset of right-sided weakness due to a left middle cerebral artery stroke 12 hours after she had obtained a love bite on the left side of her neck. “Generally speaking, hickeys are simply superficial bruising, and there’s no scientific evidence available that could inform our thinking about this situation as it relates to stroke,” Teresa Roncon, spokeswoman for the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, was quoted as saying Global News. Is It Lethal? While it's generally harmless, in some extreme cases, it can raise the risk of damaging the carotid or vertebral artery due to extreme pressure. The carotid arteries, one on each side of the neck, are responsible for supplying blood to the head, including the brain. Vigorous manipulation of the neck, including the action of a hickey, can cause the inner wall of the carotid artery to rupture. (This process is medically termed as carotid artery dissection). Such a dissection is a nidus, a place where bacteria can multiply, for the formation of a blood clot. The blood clot can then get dislodged and enter the brain circulation, eventually causing a stroke. How Can A Hickey Go Wrong? While there is nothing wrong with giving or receiving love bites, it is imperative to note that one should not dig their teeth too deeply into the other person's neck to avoid injury and damage to sensitive structures like the carotid artery or the jugular vein (a vein that carries deoxygenated blood from the skull to the body).While there are practically no ways to cure a hickey, you can speed up the healing process. These processes can help you expedite the process:Alternate Cold and Warm CompressesAvoid Worsening The HickeyMassage The AreaUse Topical Creams.

‘kiss of death’: can a passionate hickey turn fatal?

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