Woman, 21, ‘sweats’ BLOOD from her face and the palms of her hands when she feels stressed or exercises and even when she sleeps in a bizarre case that has baffled doctors.
The patient was hospitalised in Florence, France after suffering the bizarre symptoms for three years. The unnamed woman’s bleeding becomes most intense when she is under stress.
Doctors determined she was not faking it and diagnosed her with hematohidrosis. Canadian hematologist first suspected the Italian medics had been duped.
But the medical literature confirms the condition, said to affect one in 10 million. She was treated her with propranolol ? a beta-blocker medication which substantially reduced her symptoms but has not completely stopped them.
Not much is known about its cause, but it’s thought to be a result of extreme stress or fear. Those who have read the Bible will remember The Agony in the Garden, during which Jesus Christ sweated blood with the knowledge that He would soon be crucified.
Medical literature makes reference to Leonardo Da Vinci describing a soldier who sweated blood before battle. (First published by Claudia Tanner for Mailonline on 23 October 2017)