We all have our quirks—those little things we do when no one’s watching. But what if one of those habits landed you in the hospital?
That’s exactly what happened to a man in China who was rushed to the Southwest Hospital of the Army Medical University in Chongqing. His complaint? A cough that just wouldn’t go away, even after taking cough syrup. His eyes had even started to change color.
Doctors ran CT and MRI scans and noticed some unusual shadows in the lower part of his right lung. A bronchoscopy revealed something unexpected: a fungal infection in his lungs caused by Aspergillus, a common mold.
So where did it come from?
Well… the man eventually admitted that he had a strange habit: after coming home from work, he would sniff his used socks before tossing them into the laundry.
Yes, really.
As odd as it sounds, this seemingly innocent routine was actually the likely cause of his infection. According to doctors, used socks are full of sweat, salt, urea, and create a warm, moist environment inside shoes—perfect conditions for fungal growth.
Sniffing those socks allowed mold spores to enter his nose and airways, which could then travel straight into his lungs. The result? A potentially serious lung infection with long-term effects.
So, moral of the story? Maybe skip the sock-sniffing. Wash them, don’t whiff them!
