MrBallen’s Medical Mysteries

“Unraveling Bolero”: When a middle-aged scientist experiences unexpected success as an artist, it seems like little more than a surprising career change. But then, she becomes obsessed with interpreting a repetitive orchestral piece called “Bolero.” As her obsession deepens, her health takes a turn for the worse – and the cause has a surprising connection to her favorite piece of music. “Crossing...

When a little girl in Vietnam starts mysteriously bleeding from her scalp and hands, her doctors wonder if she’s faking it for attention – to make it seem like she’s experiencing stigmata, the wounds experienced by Jesus Christ in Christian scripture. The blood on the girl’s skin is real enough, but nobody is ever around when she starts to bleed. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and...

In the early 1900s, a young woman gets a coveted job at a clock factory. But her work is interrupted when she feels terrible pain in her mouth. Soon, her whole jaw is rotting away. It’s up to her dentist to try and stop it. But his misguided moral judgements about the young woman’s life send him in the completely wrong direction. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Priva...

A recovering heroin addict wakes up one morning with an odd sensation on one side of her head: a nagging, constant itch. No matter what she tries, it won’t go away. And eventually it gets so bad… she literally starts to lose her mind. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

“The Sliver”:  After a man survives a terrible car accident with only a cracked vertebra, he feels grateful to have emerged relatively unscathed. But after undergoing surgery to fix the problem, his pain only grows worse – and soon, he’s on the verge of death. And there are only hours left to save him.  “Killer Style”:   A young man in Turkey leaves his small village for the bi...

When a high-achieving teenager suddenly starts to freeze up in social situations and her grades plummet, her mother tries to get her help. But doctors can’t explain why the girl is suddenly struggling to do ordinary things like talk. Before long, she’s a shell of herself… and her mother fears that soon there may be nothing left. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privac...

In the town of Oakville, Washington, chaos erupts when mysterious blobs start falling from the sky – and anyone who touches them ends up in the hospital. As scientists struggle to understand what the blobs are, Oakville’s terrified residents are left to wonder if they’re the victims of a natural disaster… or a targeted attack. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy...

When an elderly man in New Brunswick, Canada, dies from what seems to be rapid-onset dementia, his doctor believes he had a rare condition called Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease. But then, dozens of people around the area start experiencing the same awful symptoms, making the doctor fear he’s dealing with something entirely new… and completely terrifying. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy...

In the 1940s, the people of Donora, Pennsylvania fall prey to a deadly epidemic that destroys their lungs. Doctors suspect it has something to do with the fog that is constantly blanketing their town… but why now? They need to find an answer fast – before the darkness claims more victims. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-...

During the COVID pandemic, a boy starts experiencing sudden, inexplicable bursts of pain. At first, his symptoms seem psychological – but then doctors say he may need brain surgery to fix the problem. That’s when the boy’s mother turns to a cutting edge technology to help her figure out what’s wrong with her son. Follow MrBallen's Medical Mysteries on Amazon Music or wherever you get your podcasts...

“A Clean Break”  When a night out in Nepal leaves a tourist weak and hungover, he figures he’ll feel better after some rest and rehydration. But his stomach pain becomes unbearable, and he heads to the hospital. That’s when a doctor discovers a secret that the man didn’t even know he had. “Look, Don’t Touch” When dozens of children contract salmonella after visiting the Denver Zoo, doctors as...

For his entire adult life, a successful businessman deals with a bizarre problem: whenever he bends over, he throws up. On top of that, he struggles with asthma-like symptoms. But no matter what techniques he tries or medicine he takes, the man can’t shake his symptoms, sometimes with embarrassing results. Follow MrBallen's Medical Mysteries on Amazon Music or wherever you get your podcasts. New e...

When a recovering alcoholic nearly dies after falling down his basement stairs, it seems like the tragic result of alcohol withdrawal symptoms. But when he starts seeing people who are not there at his bedside, doctors realize the man has even bigger problems. Follow MrBallen's Medical Mysteries on Amazon Music or wherever you get your podcasts. New episodes publish for free every Tuesday. Prime m...

“Just Like the Movies” A popcorn factory worker comes down with a painful, frightening rash on his arms – and then, he struggles to breathe. He and his wife are convinced something at his job is triggering these seemingly unconnected symptoms. But nobody believes them… until other workers start getting sick, too. “Headache from Hell” When a man in Orlando, Florida begins experiencing severe headac...

The parents and grandmother of an infant boy are beside themselves when the baby starts crying, and won’t stop for hours on end. They know something has to be wrong, and they’re skeptical when the doctor says it’s just gas. As the boy weakens by the day, doctors realize that something is putting the baby’s life in danger, but what? Follow MrBallen's Medical Mysteries on Amazon Music or wherever yo...

Following the birth of her second child, a woman comes down with what appears to be a serious case of the flu. Though she gets better, the illness comes back every six months or so, like clockwork. The symptoms get worse over the years, but her doctors are no help, pushing the woman to the limits of her endurance.  Follow MrBallen's Medical Mysteries on Amazon Music or wherever you get your p...

A heroin user wakes up one morning, feeling strangely stiff. At first, his symptoms are mistaken for drug intoxication. But within days, the man is completely unable to move – and completely terrified. His doctors realize they’re dealing with something much more serious than a bad trip, but they have no idea what. Follow MrBallen's Medical Mysteries on Amazon Music or wherever you get your podcast...

No Reservations: A Spanish marathon runner develops a mysterious obsession with gourmet food. But what seems like an innocent new passion may be more dangerous than he thinks. The Game: After going through her normal morning routine, an otherwise healthy woman finds herself at death’s door. In a mad rush to save the woman’s life, her doctors try to understand why her body is suddenly shutting down...

A couple’s young sons both experience sudden reversals in their physical development, leaving doctors scratching their heads. Nobody understands what’s wrong, because on the surface, the boys seem perfectly fine. But to find the answer, they have to look much deeper. Follow MrBallen's Medical Mysteries on Amazon Music or wherever you get your podcasts. New episodes publish for free every Tuesday....

A mother is terrified when her five-year-old daughter suddenly develops obsessive compulsive disorder, that leaves her completely unable to eat. Desperate to save her child, the mother embarks on a heart-pounding quest to find an answer before it’s too late. Follow MrBallen's Medical Mysteries on Amazon Music or wherever you get your podcasts. New episodes publish for free every Tuesday. Prime mem...

In the late 1700s, a doctor in the English countryside battles to save his village from the devastation of smallpox. Then, almost by accident, he stumbles upon a perplexing mystery that helps him revolutionize medicine forever. Follow MrBallen's Medical Mysteries on Amazon Music or wherever you get your podcasts. New episodes publish for free every Tuesday. Prime members can binge episodes 57-64 e...

Godmother Knows Best:  A 15-year-old girl develops mouth sores that are so painful, she can barely eat. Her mother takes her to every doctor imaginable, but nobody knows what’s wrong. Ultimately, the answer doesn’t come from an exam room, but from those who love her the most. The Game: A man in Australia has no idea what to do when his young son becomes violent and aggressive. It turns o...

After a young man suffers devastating injuries from a tornado, doctors race against the clock to save his life. But the real danger isn’t from his wounds… it’s what’s inside them. Follow MrBallen's Medical Mysteries on Amazon Music or wherever you get your podcasts. New episodes publish for free every Tuesday. Prime members can binge episodes 57-64 early and ad-free on Amazon Music. Wondery+ subsc...

An ambitious college student has to put her life on hold when she starts experiencing debilitating stomach pain that leaves her dangerously unhealthy. Forced to feed herself through a tube, the young woman wonders if she’ll ever be able to accomplish her dreams, or if she’ll be stuck with this pain forever. Follow MrBallen's Medical Mysteries on Amazon Music or wherever you get your podcasts. New...

“Faces Everywhere” A woman wakes up one morning to find terrifying faces floating above her. No matter how hard she tries to escape them, the faces follow her everywhere. But does the woman need a doctor – or an exorcism? “The Perfect Condition” When an elderly man with emphysema starts to have trouble breathing, it seems like his life is coming to an end. But his wife refuses to give up on him –...