Man’s Mystery Toothache Turns Into Life-Threatening Illness
With no serious medical history, the 35-year-old “didn’t think much of it.”
Queensland Health
A man is sounding the alarm after his straightforward toothache devolved into a life-threatening health emergency.
Luke Woodhouse, 35, recalls experiencing tooth pain during his work shift. By the afternoon, it was accompanied by a high fever. While “irritating,” neither symptom felt particularly concerning.
“I didn’t think much of it,” Woodhouse, who had no history of significant medical issues, told Queensland Health. “I assumed I was coming down with some sort of bug, or some viral illness.”
That night, however, he experienced chills and sweated profusely, waking up in soaked sheets.
Luke Woodhouse had no serious medical history, so he initially wasn’t worried about his toothache and fever.
Queensland Health
Woodhouse’s symptoms started on a Thursday, and by Sunday, his chest felt tight, and he experienced a continuous burning sensation in his head.
Woodhouse’s wife, Jennifer, took him to The Prince Charles Hospital in Brisbane, Australia, where doctors discovered inflammation around his heart.
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“I remember being told that my blood was infected, and shortly afterward the infectious diseases team told me that I had sepsis,” Woodhouse recalled. “What struck me was how little I understood about sepsis and trying to come to terms [with] the gravity of the situation.”
Sepsis happens when the body responds to an infection incorrectly by damaging healthy organs, according to the Mayo Clinic. Symptoms can include nausea, fever, shivering, diarrhea, shallow breathing, fatigue, and a fast heartbeat.
It can cause extremely serious outcomes, including kidney failure and death. Woodhouse was diagnosed with infective endocarditis, a life-threatening infection in the heart’s inner lining.
“I was told that the infection had destroyed one of my heart valves, and without surgery, I wouldn’t live much longer,” Woodhouse said. “I had a weekend to come to terms [with the fact] that I was about to undergo open-heart surgery.”
Luke Woodhouse with his wife, Jennifer, after his open-heart surgery.
Queensland Health
Woodhouse called the moments before his surgery, during which the infected valve was removed and replaced with a mechanical one, his “absolute lowest point.”
Now, a year from the operation, he wants to spread awareness around sepsis.
“You’re not invincible,” Woodhouse said. “Something can be seriously wrong even when you don’t realize it. Trust your instincts, don’t ignore the signs, and ask yourself the question: ‘Could this be sepsis?’”
Luke Woodhouse pictured during recovery after experiencing sepsis and undergoing a life-saving surgery.
Queensland Health
Woodhouse said he was still adjusting to changes brought on by his shocking diagnosis.
“I have something in my heart that needs to be looked after, and it will be like this for the rest of my life,” Woodhouse said. “But I’m incredibly grateful to all the people who have looked after me throughout this whole experience.”
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