Dr Patrick Fraser Health & Medical Advice From A Real Doctor
Nobody wants to be sick, but it is inevitable for our body to experience an irregularity or imbalance in its normal form and condition at given times, thus resulting to sickness. There are common illnesses that a normal person may encounter throughout his lifetime such as cough, colds, or flu. Others may have chronic diseases such as diabetes and cancer. However, there are a few people who experience rare medical conditions that are totally odd and strange. Here are thirty six of the most unusual diseases ever recorded — don’t be fooled by their names!
36.Werewolf Syndrome (Hypertrichosis)
Having long and thick hair all over the face and body.
35.Tree Man Syndrome (Epidermodysplasia Verruciformis)
Irregular and oversized bark-like warts on the skin.
34.Polydactyly
Having one or more extra fingers or toes.
33.Elephantiasis
Abnormal swelling and enlargement of skin and tissues due to obstructed lymphatic vessels.
32.Stone Man Syndrome
A genetic disorder where soft tissues and cartilage harden and turn into bones over time.
31.Walking Corpse Syndrome (Cotard’s Delusion)
A psychological condition where the brain is unable to recognize and associate faces and emotions, giving the patient a delusion that he is already dead.
30.Cold Allergy (Cold Urticaria)
Histamine reaction to cold temperatures.
29.Vampire Syndrome (Xeroderma Pigmentosum)
Hypersensitivity of the skin to sunlight which results to extreme burns and breakdowns upon exposure to the sun.
28.Water Allergy (Aquagenic Urticaria)
Itchy rashes, welts, and hives on the skin upon contact with water.
27.Fast Aging Syndrome (Progeria)
A medical condition where a patient undergoes complete aging process at a shorter timespan.
26.Blaschko’s Lines
A dermatological condition where the skin is covered with visible stripes such as V-shaped lines on the spine or S-shaped patterns on the chest.
25.Burning Mouth Syndrome or BMS
Burning sensation and extreme itching on the roof of the mouth.
24.Stendhal Syndrome
Experiencing a sudden increase in heart rate, dizziness, or even fainting upon seeing great art or beauty.
23.Capgras Delusion
Believing that someone is replaced by an identical imposter.
22.Exploding Head Syndrome or EHS
Hearing imaginary loud sounds, often of guns and bombs, while sleeping or trying to sleep.
21.Flesh-eating Disease (Necrotizing Faciitis)
A severe skin infection where bacteria consume deep skin tissues.
20.Lion Face Syndrome (Leontiasis Ossea)
Irregular excessive growth of facial and cranial bones that deforms the face and makes it look like that of a lion.
19.Cronkhite-Canada Syndrome
Buildup of polyps on the digestive tract which causes malabsorption, resulting in a loss of sense of taste.
18.Brittle Bone Disease (Osteogenesis Imperfecta)
Collagen deficiency which leads to bluish sclera (white of the eye) and weak bones that are extremely prone to fractures and breaks.
17.Congenital Insensitivity to Pain
The patient’s brain is unable to receive sensory information from the body due to a defective nervous system.
16.Persistent Congenital Arousal Disorder
Uncontrollable stimulation of the genitals without any connection to lust or sexual arousal.
15.Jumping Frenchmen of Maine Disease
Getting extremely shocked, surprised, or startled even by the simplest things.
14.Hailey-Hailey Syndrome
Clusters and patches of painless sores and blisters on the skin that seldom leave scars after healing.
13.Menkes Disease
Unstable body temperature, steel-like hair, and (in extreme cases) damaged internal organs caused by copper deficiency.
12.Proteus Syndrome
Unproportional overgrowth of the skin, tissues, bones, and fat, causing deformation on the face and the body.
11.Alien Hand Syndrome
Losing control of one hand due to stroke or any form of brain damage.
10.Trimethylaminuria
Emission of foul, rotten, and unpleasant body caused by the body’s inability to breakdown trimethylmine, an enzyme with a smell similar to a day-old fish.
9.Rapunzel Syndrome (Trichophagia)
A psychological condition where the patient feels compelled to eat his own hair which could lead to gastrointestinal problems.
8.Lisztomania
Intense hysteria and obsession over something or someone.
7.Parry-Romberg Syndrome
Facial deformation caused by shrinkage of skin and bones on one section of the face.
6.Noma (Cancrum Oris)
A bacterial infection that starts in the mouth and spreads out to the skin, gums, and facial tissues and destructs that region of the face.
5.Polyglandular Addison’s Disease
Inability to produce adrenaline in response to emotional stress which could lead to instantaneous death.
4.Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy
Feeling a painful burning sensation over his entire body as if on fire.
3.Harlequin Ichthyosis
A dermatological disease where the skin cracks and hardens into scales, exposing bare flesh in between.
2.Alice in Wonderland Syndrome
Experiencing confusion on actual sizes and distance of things around.
1.Dysguesia
Distortion of the brain sensory system to recognize taste due to either genetics, trauma, or drug use.
While some of these rare diseases are just plain weird, majority of them are evident extreme cases of known illnesses. Thankfully, these diseases only happen to a very small fraction of people. Now you have a reason to be thankful for your fever.
