The topic of “19-year-old male streamer loses almost right lung after shouting” has caught the attention of netizens in mainland China, and the discussion has been trending on social media.
According to a report from “Xiaoxiang Morning News”, recently, 19-year-old Xiaoyang (pseudonym) was brought by friends to the emergency room of the Chinese Medicine Hospital in Xiaoshan District, Hangzhou. He had a pale complexion and was gasping for breath. He said, “Doctor, I feel like my chest is being crushed by a big rock, I can’t catch my breath…”
Just a few hours before, Xiaoyang was passionately shouting in his livestream room. As an internet streamer, this was part of his daily routine. To boost the atmosphere in the livestream, he needed to shout loudly for extended periods, accompanied by intense physical movements. After the livestream ended that day, he suddenly felt a sharp tearing pain in the right side of his chest and had difficulty breathing.
The attending doctor immediately arranged for a lung CT scan for him. Shortly after, the CT results showed: a large amount of pneumothorax on the right side, compressing the lung tissue by up to 95%.
Respiratory department chief physician Cai Hanjiong said, “According to the imaging, the patient’s right lung has almost ‘disappeared,’ almost completely collapsed, leaving only a small shadow, and the chest cavity is filled with air. If not treated promptly, it could potentially lead to respiratory failure at any time, endangering life.”
The doctor performed a closed thoracic drainage procedure for Xiaoyang. As the drainage tube was inserted into his chest cavity, Xiaoyang’s breathing gradually stabilized. After a week of hospital treatment, Xiaoyang’s lung re-expanded and he was discharged after recovering.
Why does “shouting” lead to a collapsed lung?
Dr. Cai explained, “Our chest cavity is a closed space, with the lungs resembling two balloons suspended inside. Under normal circumstances, there is negative pressure in the pleural cavity, which helps keep the lungs in an expanded state. When the alveoli on the lung surface or pleura rupture, air leaks from the lungs into the pleural cavity. With increasing air, the pressure in the chest cavity rises, causing the once full lung to collapse, preventing gas exchange, resulting in chest tightness and shortness of breath.” For Xiaoyang, the high-intensity work of “shouting” was the fuse that ignited the “bomb.”
During his livestreams, in order to achieve sound effects, Xiaoyang often needed to take a deep breath before holding his breath and shouting forcefully. This action causes a sudden surge in pressure inside the alveoli, and the fragile alveoli are unable to bear the load. Frequent control of breathing, breath-holding, or exposure to pressure changes significantly increases the risk of pneumothorax.
It is worth noting that the recurrence rate of pneumothorax is very high, with an average recurrence rate of 10%-30% within 1-5 years after the first occurrence. Doctors remind young people to use their voices scientifically and reject “violent shouting” practices.