10 Weird Diseases

In this world of over 6 billion human beings, not everyone lives a life of fulfillment; apart from people suffering from AIDS, cancer, hepatitis and many diseases that you know, people suffer from far more peculiar disease that you even haven’t heard of. Today we take a look at 10 of the weirdest diseases in the world.

Note:

1. This list is, in no intention a “Top 10 list”, the purpose is just to list, not to rank.

2. Some people might find some of the pictures in this post to be grisly, gruesome and/or disturbing, so discretion is advised.

No 10. Trichotillomania

People suffering from this disease tend to pull out their hairs, be it from the head, eyelashes, nose or even from the unmentionables. Commonly known as trich, this disease can be caused by stress, depression or even graver agents such as a defective gene.

No 9. Aquagenic Urticaria

Sometimes wrongly described as allergy, it is an extremely rare condition in which the victim becomes sensitive to the ions found in non-distilled water, or in other words the sufferer experiences pain when in contact with water and that pain can last for anywhere between 10 to 100 minutes or even more. The worst part is, that you cannot even cry for your agony; your own tears can burn down your skin. Itchy, raised bumps known as hives develop as a consequence of contact with water. There is no treatment for this horrible disease yet.

No 8. Pica

The image above shows stomach content of a Pica victim. Pica can be described as an appetite for non-food or non-edible substances. Sufferers tend to eat anything from wood to steel, from not-so dangerous paper to potentially fatal plastics. Unfortunately, very little research has been done for this disease due to which there neither are solid causes nor cures found for this disease.

No 7. Moebius Syndrome

A disease characterized by the lack of development of facial nerves, which lead to lack of facial expressions. People suffering from this disease might be sometimes wrongly considered unfriendly due to the “facial paralysis”, so next time you think someone is rude, think again and take some time before judging. Usually people suffering from this disease are also unable to move their eyes from side to side. While the causes are still unknown for this disease, the medical treatment is also not definitive and is carried out in accordance with the symptoms.

No 6.  Elephantiasis

A rare disease which causes the sufferer’s body members to thicken and to swell to gross proportions. Caused by parasitic worms such as Brugia malayi and B. timori, this disease is transmitted through mosquitoes. The disease is common in tropical regions of Africa and is highly prevalent in Sudan, Rwanda, Egypt and Ethiopia among others. The most commonly infected body parts of this disease are arms, legs, genitalia and breasts. Depending on the infected region and the amount of infection, the disease can cause serious difficulties in everyday life.

No 5. Necrotizing Fasciitis

Commonly known as flesh eating bacteria disease, Necrotizing fasciitis is a rare infection of the deeper layers of skin that can make your skin “rust off”. This “flesh eating” bacteria can enter your skin through minor or even non-apparent cuts and bruises. The bacteria once inside the sufferer’s body, moves/locomotes and eats away anything in its path; flesh and skin both. In extreme cases, it can even result into a complete loss of body parts such as limbs. If left untreated it can lead to death, with mortality rate upto 73 percent.

No 4. Progeria

Also known is Hutchinson–Gilford progeria syndrome, it is a condition, caused by a genetic defect, that literally, fast forwards victim’s life. “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” may have been inspired from this disease. Occurring one in eight million births, this disease leads to an early death at an average age of 13. People suffering from this disease are often prone to many other diseases or ageing conditions such as premature baldness, heart diseases and thinning of bones. The exact cause, as Wikipedia states is “a point mutation in position 1824 of the LMNA gene, replacing cytosine with thymine, creating an unusable form of the protein Lamin A”, well, if that makes any sense to the non-medical.

No 3. Exploding Head Syndrome

When suffering from a headache, it seems the worst thing to happen. Causing the victim to hear loud explosions, screams, gunshots or similar loud noises, Exploding Head Syndrome kicks in after 2 to 3 hours of falling asleep. It can cause fear, anxiety and increased hear rate. These conditions can also be accompanied by difficulty in breathing. The cause of this odd disease is not exactly known, but it has been found to be correlated with stress and fatigue. Fortunately, successful and effective treatments are available.

No 2. Cotard’s Syndrome

Also known as Cotard delusion, people suffering from it believe that they are dead, have lost all of their blood or have lost their internal organs. This disease, again, is related to extreme stress. The treatment of this disease is equally difficult as its complexity, because in most cases this disease is as linguistic and intellectual as it is biological.

No 1. Congenital Central Hypoventilation Syndrome

Every had difficulty in breathing while, like after running or when in some closed room? Well, if yes, then you might know how painful and distressing that is. Also known as Ondine’s Curse, Congenital Central Hypoventilation Syndrome is a disease which can cause serious difficulty in breathing i.e. taking in oxygen. Victims get tired very quick and often. The causes can be severe brain damage or spinal trauma. But, people born with this disease do not survive through infancy unless assisted by mechanical ventilation. Its treatment is available, but is a lifelong task. In some serious cases, sleep can result into death, because the victim in this case cannot take in oxygen while “unconscious”.