NEXT time you are thinking about sticking something up your nose, please consider the cost to the national health system.
A new study released in England has suggested that removing foreign objects from ears and noses costs public hospitals in the UK almost 3m annually.
The vast majority of cases were in children - 95% of objects in noses and 85% from ears, with the most common foreign object requiring removal being jewellery for kids, while in adults the main issue was cotton buds.
The paper, titled Will Children Ever Learn?, was published in the Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons, with author Simon Morris from Morriston Hospital in Swansea surmising that "the occurrence of foreign bodies in children is generally attributed to curiosity and a whim to explore orifices".
Chinese media are reporting on the bizarre case of a university student who had to be hospitalised after eating only instant noodles for three weeks to save money for a spending spree.
Hong Jia posted a video saying she had saved more than $100 with her Ramen meals in the lead up to China's Singles Day online shopping festival.
However the plan backfired because her health went downhill, probably due to a lack of fruit, vegetables, protein or any other sort of nutrition, meaning she ended up using most of her savings on medical bills.
The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 23 Nov 18
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