He also warned that the process of piercing could cause complications, including nerve damage and swelling that could obstruct the airway.

The resulting disease, known as gape or the gapes, occurs when the worms clog and obstruct the airway.

When a patient becomes unconscious, the muscles in the jaw commonly relax and can allow the tongue to slide back and obstruct the airway.

In the lungs thick sticky mucus obstructs the airways and forms a breeding ground for infection, and each infection causes progressive lung damage.

Prolonged airway stress can pull laryngeal walls inward, further obstructing the airway and causing swelling and irritation of the laryngeal membranes.