
MrBallen’s Medical Mysteries
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.
Latest episodes

Dec 26, 2023 • 31min
Ep. 12 | Dark Killer
In 1998, a new mother begins experiencing intense full-body aches, unstoppable itching, and crushing fatigue. But everyone she talks to says it’s all in her head and the woman feels like she’s losing her mind. Will someone be able to figure out what’s wrong with her before it’s too late?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dec 19, 2023 • 33min
Ep. 11 | What’s Wrong with Vince?
In the spring of 2009, Dr. Benjamin Gilmer takes over a country medical practice in Fletcher, North Carolina. His predecessor is no longer running the clinic because he’s serving a life sentence for murdering his father. But, as Benjamin learns more about the case, he begins to wonder if the man is truly a cold-blooded killer or if there’s another explanation for his terrifying crime.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dec 12, 2023 • 38min
Ep. 10 | Sin Nombre
In the spring of 1993, young, healthy people of the Navajo nation start dying from a mysterious disease that fills their lungs with so much fluid that they suffocate. The CDC’s best scientists scramble to uncover what’s causing it before it spreads – and the answer might lie in a story from ancient Navajo legend.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dec 5, 2023 • 25min
Ep. 9 | Sleep Addict
In 2005, a high-powered attorney starts falling asleep for dangerously long periods at a time. No matter what she tries to keep herself awake, she constantly needs sleep, like an addict craves a fix. It gets so bad, she fears that one day she’ll fall asleep and never wake up again.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Nov 28, 2023 • 31min
Ep. 8 | A Rare Bird
In 2020, a career-driven young woman in Ohio begins to hallucinate strange sounds and feels phantom sensations in her body. She believes she’s going insane. But the real reason is far more disturbing. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Nov 21, 2023 • 33min
Ep. 7 | The Shadow/The Experiment
“The Shadow”When a woman’s unexplainable heart condition threatens her life, surgeons turn to a rare and dangerous operation. They have less than an hour to operate and find the cause of her condition. What they discover is jaw-dropping.“The Experiment”A New York City radio producer in her early 40s falls mysteriously ill after having dinner with friends. She goes to the doctor, but he can’t find anything wrong. As her symptoms worsen, she decides to take matters into her own hands and run a dangerous experiment on herself. Her discovery changes her life forever.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Nov 14, 2023 • 25min
Ep. 6 | Blood Feast
One night in 1944, over 300 patients at a mental hospital in Oregon become violently sick after eating dinner. Many of them die. An investigation is quickly launched to determine the source of this deadly illness. Was there something wrong with the food itself? Or could it have been the work of a deranged killer?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Nov 7, 2023 • 26min
Ep. 5 | Silent Scream
A 15-year-old girl's sudden illness leads to a grim diagnosis. An experimental treatment is proposed to save her, but it could result in a fate worse than death. The girl wakes up with Locked-In Syndrome, trapped inside her own body. She recalls getting bitten by a bat and being diagnosed with rabies, but successfully recovers.

Oct 31, 2023 • 29min
Ep. 4 | Sanju’s Belly/One by One
“Sanju’s Belly”For decades, a 36-year-old Indian man has been plagued by a mysterious swelling in his belly. He refuses to see a doctor, until one day, he’s rushed to the hospital with breathing problems. When doctors operate, what they find inside him is horrific.“One by One”A family in 1860s London is struck by a mysterious illness that claims three of their children. When the city’s finest physician is brought in to treat the family's last surviving child, a three-year-old girl, he is baffled by her symptoms. But as he digs deeper he realizes the true killer has been staring him in the face all along.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Oct 24, 2023 • 29min
Ep. 3 | A Change in Fortune
On a hot September day in 1986, a family in Goiania, Brazil, suddenly begin feeling sick after a celebration. The symptoms are horrific: vomiting, diarrhea, and bleeding. But one family member suspects something far worse. Her hunch soon leads to a devastating discovery.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.