Side Effects and Injuries
Swallowing practitioners have reported sore throats—dubbed "sword" throats, in the business—when first learning, after frequent consecutive performances, or after swallowing curved swords or several swords at once. Swallowing multiple swords simultaneously over time can also lead to distension of the esophagus. Less common are reports of lower chest pain as a result of practicing the "drop." Such injuries rarely require medical attention; the performers simply refrain from swallowing swords for a time. A minor injury may predispose the performer to sustaining a more major one; these more serious injuries include perforation of the esophagus, stomach, lungs, and other organs in proximity to the path of the sword, as well as intestinal bleeding. According to Dr. Brian Whitcombe and Dan Meyer, "One swallower lacerated his pharynx when trying to swallow a curved sabre, a second lacerated his esophagus and developed pleurisy after being distracted by a misbehaving macaw on his shoulder, and a belly dancer suffered a major haemorrhage when a bystander pushed dollar bills into her belt causing three blades in her oesophagus to scissor." As a result of ongoing research by Witcombe and Meyer, at least 29 deaths have been reported as a result of sword swallowing injuries since 1880.
Read more about this topic: Sword Swallowing
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