Be warned — if you’re enjoying a BLT right now, you might want to set it aside before continuing.

For many people, bacon is the star of the breakfast table. Whether it’s served alongside eggs, stuffed into pancakes, or crisped up in a classic BLT, it’s a food that has earned near-universal love — except, of course, among vegetarians and vegans. But as one man discovered the hard way, eating bacon the wrong way can have some horrifying consequences.

This particular case involves a 52-year-old man who was a lifelong bacon enthusiast. Unfortunately, his passion for the salty treat eventually landed him in the hospital after he suffered from excruciating migraine headaches and unrelenting pain at the back of his head that lasted for weeks.

Anyone who has ever endured a migraine knows how unbearable the condition can be. For this man, the pain was so severe that he finally sought medical help. Doctors ordered a series of tests to determine the cause of his mysterious headaches, and what they discovered was disturbing: his brain was riddled with cyst-like lesions.

Upon further analysis, specialists identified that the cysts were filled with tapeworm larvae. Yes, actual living parasites had burrowed into his brain.

The culprit was identified as the Taenia solium tapeworm — a parasite commonly found in pigs. When humans consume pork that hasn’t been properly cooked, the eggs or larvae of this tapeworm can spread to different parts of the body, leading to a condition known as cysticercosis. In this man’s case, the infestation was so advanced that he had to spend several weeks in intensive care.

To fight off the parasites, doctors prescribed a combination of anti-parasitic medication and anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce the swelling in his brain. It was only after treatment began that the man revealed a key detail about his eating habits that explained everything.

As it turns out, he had always preferred his bacon “lightly cooked” — practically raw. He disliked the crispy texture many bacon lovers swear by, and this unusual lifelong preference ultimately became the source of his infection. Doctors concluded that the undercooked meat provided the perfect pathway for the larvae to enter his body.

According to food safety guidelines, pork products like bacon should be cooked to an internal temperature of at least 145°F (63°C) to kill harmful bacteria and parasites. While large cuts of pork can easily be checked with a meat thermometer, bacon’s thinness makes temperature testing tricky. However, because it cooks quickly, there’s no real excuse to leave it underdone.

Case notes published about the man’s ordeal highlighted that “undercooked pork consumption is a theoretical risk factor,” and while infected pork is rare in the United States, this case “may have public health implications.” In other words, while it’s unusual, it’s not impossible — and it’s a reminder of why food safety matters.

Food experts even recommend letting bacon rest at room temperature for about 15 minutes before cooking. This ensures it cooks evenly without burning. But they also warn against leaving meat out for too long — more than two hours at room temperature can encourage harmful bacteria to multiply, increasing the risk of food poisoning.

So yes, cooking bacon thoroughly can help you avoid worms, but leaving it sitting out carelessly can make you sick in a different way. It’s a lose-lose if you’re not careful.

In the end, this man’s story is a cautionary tale for bacon lovers everywhere. Crispy may not be everyone’s favorite texture, but when it comes to protecting your health, it’s definitely the safer choice. After all, no one wants to trade a tasty breakfast for weeks in the ICU.

Hungry yet?