

MrBallen’s Medical Mysteries
Wondery | Ballen Studios
The human body is a miracle. But when it’s not working, it can be the stuff of nightmares. On this new series from master storyteller MrBallen, we’re sharing medical horror stories and diagnostic mysteries that are surgically calibrated to make your blood run cold.From bizarre, unheard-of diseases and miraculous recoveries to strange medical mishaps and unexplainable deaths — you’ll never hear the phrase “heart-stopping” in the same way again. MrBallen’s Medical Mysteries is a first-of-its-kind collaboration between MrBallen and Wondery, the award-winning company behind Dr. Death.Follow MrBallen's Medical Mysteries on Amazon Music, the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. New episodes publish for free every Tuesday. Prime members can listen to new episodes early and ad-free on Amazon Music. Or, you can listen episodes early and ad-free on Wondery+. Start your free trial in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or by visiting https://wondery.com/links/mrballens-medical-mysteries/ now.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Nov 5, 2024 • 28min
Ep. 57 | Faces Everywhere/The Perfect Condition
“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 – and what the doctors find inside the man’s chest is something straight out of an urban legend.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+ subscribers can listen ad-free--join Wondery+ in the Wondery App or on Apple Podcasts.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Oct 29, 2024 • 25min
Ep. 56 | She Haunts Me
In the late 1800s, a young man in rural New England comes down with a deadly illness known as “the White Death.” When his doctor can’t help, the man’s neighbors propose a bizarre treatment… that involves the supernatural.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 49-56 early and ad-free on Amazon Music.Wondery+ subscribers can listen ad-free--join Wondery+ in the Wondery App or on Apple Podcasts.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Oct 22, 2024 • 26min
Ep. 55 | False Alarm
When a woman gets sick with a mystery illness during the height of the COVID pandemic, she fears her holiday season will be ruined. But as her entire family starts getting sick one by one, a lousy Christmas is the least of her worries.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 49-56 early and ad-free on Amazon Music.Wondery+ subscribers can listen ad-free--join Wondery+ in the Wondery App or on Apple Podcasts.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Oct 15, 2024 • 28min
Ep. 54 | Root of All Evil
Doctors were sure they could help a man who was suffering from severe swelling in his spine. But nothing worked, and as the man slipped away, doctors could only scratch their heads. They had no way of knowing the problem was far worse than any of them imagined. 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 49-56 early and ad-free on Amazon Music.Wondery+ subscribers can listen ad-free--join Wondery+ in the Wondery App or on Apple Podcasts.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Oct 8, 2024 • 36min
Ep. 53 | Rough Patch/ No Warning
"Rough Patch" When a young woman’s skin begins to break out after a wedding, she doesn’t think much of it…at first. But as the rash engulfs her body, she begins to wonder if a person can die from eczema."No Warning"When a skinny teen tries to build some muscle, he ends up white as a sheet and vomiting uncontrollably. As the boy’s condition worsens, doctors wonder if his health kick is to blame. 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 49-56 early and ad-free on Amazon Music.Wondery+ subscribers can listen ad-free--join Wondery+ in the Wondery App or on Apple Podcasts.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Oct 1, 2024 • 25min
Ep. 52 | A Dark Discovery
A little girl’s parents grow concerned when she develops a debilitating headache. They take her to the hospital but test after test returns negative. When her doctors finally figure out what’s wrong with her, the answer is something none of them saw coming.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 49-56 early and ad-free on Amazon Music.Wondery+ subscribers can listen ad-free--join Wondery+ in the Wondery App or on Apple Podcasts.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sep 24, 2024 • 31min
Ep. 51 | Culture Clash
When a quiet town in Oregon is beset by a dangerous Salmonella outbreak, the health authorities mobilize to trace it back to the source. What they find isn’t just surprising – it’s sinister.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 49-56 early and ad-free on Amazon Music.Wondery+ subscribers can listen ad-free--join Wondery+ in the Wondery App or on Apple Podcasts.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sep 17, 2024 • 29min
Ep. 50 | Elephant Man
When a routine medical study makes patients swell up like sausages, the doctors running it struggle to understand what went wrong. They have to act fast – because if they can’t figure it out soon, the so-called “elephant men” could die.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 49-56 early and ad-free on Amazon Music.Wondery+ subscribers can listen ad-free--join Wondery+ in the Wondery App or on Apple Podcasts.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sep 10, 2024 • 29min
Ep. 49 | Hunger Games
A college student’s return to school is cut short when she starts acting erratically and has to be committed to a psychiatric hospital. As she continues to spiral out of control, her parents worry that their daughter will never be the same again.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 49-56 early and ad-free on Amazon Music.Wondery+ subscribers can listen ad-free--join Wondery+ in the Wondery App or on Apple Podcasts.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sep 3, 2024 • 34min
Ep. 48 | Cold Case
A teenage girl comes down with unexplainable abdominal pain after spending a few days at a fair. Unbeknownst to her, the same thing is happening to hundreds of teenagers in a completely different state…and doctors can’t figure out what’s causing it.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 41-48 early and ad-free on Amazon Music. Wondery+ subscribers can listen ad-free--join Wondery+ in the Wondery App or on Apple PodcastsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.