We live in a world of vast unknowns. Even though we know a lot about our home, there is still much to be understood. Some of these things may surprise us, despite all that we know, like these strange medical conditions. Most of these sound like total bs, but they are most definitely real. Some are disorders such as waking up with a different accent, while others are tangible as having hair all over your body.
Alien Hand Sydrome
Also known as Dr. Stranglove syndrome from the famous movie days in which he proposed the theory, this rare neurological condition is characterized by a person's hand seemingly having its own free will or a mind of its own. According to some reports, this is a result of a brain surgical intervention, in treatments of epilepsy. Some have also concluded that this occurs after a severe injury to the brain, such as a stroke. This disease was first reported in 1909 after about 40 cases have been conformed, but misdiagnosis was common back then.
Trimethylaminuria
This disorder is caused when the body is unable to break down trimethylamine, a chemical compound characterized by its pungent odor. It is genetic, which means if the gene is present, you may have a chance of developing it. Most have described the smell as that of rotting fish, rotten eggs, garbage, or urine. As this chemical builds up in the body, this odor causes the effected person to give off the smell in their sweat, urine, or breath. The intensity of the odor becomes stronger over a period of time. Most people with the condition experience depression and social isolation because it affects their relationships, social life, and careers.
Alice in Wonderland Syndrome
Also called Todd's syndrome or Lilliputian hallucinations, this strange condition effects a person's perception. People with this condition experience distortions of the sizes of what he/she sees which is know as macropsia or micropsia. This is temporary however, and dissipates over time. It is linked to brain tumors, migraines and the usage of psychoactive drugs. It also may resemble the first signs of Epstein-Barr virus, which is linked to forms of cancer and HIV.
Mary Hart seizures
In 1991, a woman reported to have epileptic episodes induced by the sound of the Entertainment Tonight star's voice. She suffered for four years with her symptoms including a sense of pressure in her head, mental confusion, and an upset stomach. The woman was treated by avoiding the program and taking medication. Her identity was never given out.
Rapunzel Sydrome
Also called trichophagia, this rare intestinal disorder is a form of pika, the tendency to consume nonedible items. It's named after the long-haired girl from the fairy tale by Brothers Grimm. Symptoms include a trichobezoar in the digestive tract, which is a large ball of hair, vomiting and abdominal pain. It is often associated with psychiatric disorders such as trichotillomania, the habit of pulling the hair out. It is believed to also be observed with people with long hair. Since the body is unable to digest hair, it often clumps up in the stomach and blocks it, which can cause health problems, and even death. This requires surgical removal usually.
Exploding Head Syndrome
This is a rare type of parasomnia. A person with the disorder will experience a sudden loud bang that originates inside their head that is comparable to a gunshot, a bomb going off, or a clash of cymbals and pots and pans. It features an indecipherable noise in the person's head. It usually occurs right before the person falls asleep. Despite it's name, no swelling or pain occurs in the suffering individual. It is caused by fatigue and high amounts of stress. One of the only ways to prevent it is to get enough sleep at night.
Burning Mouth Syndrome
Also called scalded mouth syndrome, burning tongue syndrome, burning lips syndrome, stomatodynia and glossodynia, this disorder occurs without a known cause. It is characterized by an uncomfortable burning sensation in areas of the mouth such as the tongue, gums, lips, and cheeks. Treatment is difficult since it occurs randomly, but there is medication that can soothe the burning and make it more manageable.
Foreign Accent Syndrome
It's exactly what it sounds like. This disorder is considered rare because only a few cases of it have been reported. It is of great interest of medical practitioners because of its unusual characteristics. Also, it has been a topic of media consumption because of the fact that an American person wakes up acquiring a British or German accent. An exact cause of this disorder is not fully understood because of its rarity, and is still being studied. It may be the product of a stoke, head trauma, or multiple sclerosis.
Walking Corpse Syndrome
Also called Cotard's Delusion or Syndrome, this rare medical condition causes the afflicted person to believe they are dead, do not exist, or thinking that they have lost some of their vital organs, literally or figuratively. It is reported by some patients with the condition to be able to smell their own rotting flesh. The condition was discovered by Jules Cotard back in 1880 as ‘délire des negations’ or negative deliriums. The exact cause is not known and is believed to be caused by lesions to the brain. It is also more common in older people, or people with depression. Some patients suffering from this were known to have deprived themselves of food, thinking they were already dead or nonexistent. A cure has not been found, but treatment is available at psychiatric hospitals.
Capgra's Delusion
The term was coined by its discoverer, the French psychiatrist Jean Marie Joseph Capgras. The primary symptom of the patient is the false belief that a relative, close friend, or even pet has been replaced by an exact copy. They see true and false copies. The patient may even consider themselves as an exact copy of someone else. Other names for this delusion are delusional misidentification, illusion of doubles, illusion of negative doubles, misidentification syndrome, nonrecognition syndrome, phantom double syndrome, subjective doubles syndrome. This is associated with even bigger psychotic problems, such as schizophrenia, dementia, and other brain injuries. The delusion can occur in mild, acute and chronic forms. It is more prevalent in women, with the ratio being 3:2. There is no known cure, but treatment is available at mental hospitals.
Jargon Aphasia
This is a type of aphasia, problems to one's speech in which an individuals' speech is indecipherable, but seems to make sense to the person. It is noted in people suffering from schizophrenia, especially in severe forms. It is also called "word salad". Treatment is difficult because this can occur in phases and last several months to several years, and requires treatment of the schizophrenia, if they suffer from it.
Progeria
Pronouced (pro-JEER-e-uh) and also known as Hutchinson-Gilford syndrome, is an extremely rare, progressive genetic disorder that causes children to age rapidly, beginning in their first two years of life. Children with progeria generally appear normal at birth. During the first year, signs and symptoms, such as slow growth and hair loss, begin to appear. Heart problems or strokes are the eventual cause of death in most children with progeria. The average life expectancy for a child with progeria is about 13 years, but some with the disease die younger and some live 20 years or longer. There's no cure for progeria, but ongoing research shows some promise for treatment.
Fibrodysplasia
Also called fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP), this is a disorder in which the connective tissues, such as tendons and ligaments, gradually become replaced by bone (ossified), which forms on the skeleton of the individual and slowly impairs movement. It is usually prevalent in early childhood, starting at the mouth and neck as it works its way down the limbs. This condition is extremely rare, occurring in one in two million individuals worldwide. About 100 cases have been reported. Mutations in the ACVR1 gene cause fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva. It can be passed down from parents who have the dominant trait, but is usually caused by mutations. There is not a cure at this point.
Werewolf Syndrome
Also called Hypertrichosis or Ambras syndrome, this condition involves abnormal hair growth on the body. It is called werewolf syndrome because effected people look similar to a werewolf. There are two distinct types of hypertrichosis, one form remains in a localized area of the body, while the other type affects the entire body. It can begin at birth, but can also be acquired later in life. People in the 19th and 20th centuries with the disease have worked as side show freaks and stage performers because of the uncommonness of the condition. This is a genetic disorder, and congenital generalized hypertrichosis has a dominant pattern of inheritance and has been linked to chromosome xq24-q27.1. A female carrying the gene has a 50% chance of passing it to her child. A male with the gene will always pass it to his daughter, but never to his son. Since it is genetic, it is not curable, but it can be made less noticeable by shaving the hair in abnormal places.
Vampire Disease (Porphyria)
Vampire disease is just the causal term for porphyria, a group of genetic disorders responsible for affecting the way the body produces prophyrins and heme, which causes extreme pain throughout the body as well as deformities and trauma to the skin. There are two types of porphyria, the acute version only affecting the nervous system, and the other, which is commonly called vampire disease, due to the way it transforms your body into looking like a vampire in real life. Porphyria has been reported in all races and ethnicities, with higher reported cases occurring in Sweden and India. It effects one in 25,000 people in the United States, and one in 50,000 people worldwide. It is extremely rare. The acute version of the disease affects your nervous system and causes crises called "acute attacks", and the symptoms include stomach pain, as well as nausea and vomiting due to elevated blood pressure. Acute attacks also cause muscle weakness, seizures, and comas due to neurological issues. People suffering from the other version--the vampirism version--cutaneous porphyria--will suffer from symptoms similar to that of the vampires heard about in folk lure, including sensitivity to sunlight and garlic, blisters, necrosis, and gums that shrink that make their teeth look like fangs. Death comes during acute attacks that cause cardiac arrhythmia. Treatments such as a high-carb diet, and hemin injections can limit the body's production of prophyrins and control the persons acute attacks. People with cutaneous porphyria mist reduce their exposure to sunlight, drawing blood, and taking medication such as hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) and chloroquine (Aralen). Carotene may also be proscribe to help with the patient's sensitivity to sunlight.
Which disease seems the most horrible? Which disease seems the coolest? Leave your opinions in the comment section. Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed! :)
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