Top 10 Mysterious Diseases

Source:
www.livescience.com...

10. Morgellons Disease
This mysterious illness, which has cropped up again recently, displays almost sci-fi symptoms. Sufferers complain of intensely creepy-crawly skin and odd fibrous strands which protrude from open wounds. Some in the medical community blame the “disease” on psychotic delusion, but others say the symptoms are very real.

9. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Chronic fatigue is a classic MUPS (medically unexplained physical symptoms) disease, with a diagnosis based only on the ruling out of other possibilities. More than just feeling a little tired, CFS patients are often bed-ridden for days at a time.

8. Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease
One version of this rare brain disorder is better known—Mad Cow—and can be contracted by eating contaminated beef. “Regular” CJD is also always fatal, quick-acting and is the most common form, but develops in most patients for reasons doctors have yet to figure out and can not prevent.

7. Schizophrenia
xperts consider this the most puzzling of mental disorders, one which robs the sufferer of the ability to logically distinguish between reality and fantasy. Symptoms range wildly between patients and include delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, lack of motivation or emotion, but the disease has no defining medical tests.

6.Autoimmune Disorders
A catchall term for a host of afflictions including Lupus and MS, autoimmune disorders treat the body’s organs and normal functions as enemy invaders. They’re usually chronic, always debilitating, and doctors can do little except ease their symptoms.

5.Pica
People diagnosed with Pica have an insatiable urge to eat non-food substances like dirt, paper, glue and clay. Though it is believed to be linked with mineral deficiency, health experts have found no real cause and no cure for the peculiar disorder.

4. Avian Flu
Humans have no immunity to the powerful flu virus carried by birds, which health official fear could mutate into a strain that can be transmitted between humans. Death rates for human infected are around 50 percent but, so far, humans have been infected mostly by direct handling with infected birds. A recent cluster of cases, however, appeared to involved its spread between people.

3.The Common Cold
Even with an estimated one billion cases in the United States every year, doctors still know very little about the nose-running, cough-inducing cold, whose root causes number in the hundreds (some headway is being made). Time and chicken soup, not antibiotics, is often the only prescription that helps.

2.Alzheimer’s Disease
Not to be confused with the forgetfulness that affects most everyone in their later years, Alzheimer’s is a degenerative brain disorder that manifests differently in each of its sufferers. The exact cause isn’t understood and it can’t be effectively treated.

1.AIDS
Twenty-five years since it was first identified, there is still no cure for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. AIDS remains among the world’s most potent killers, especially in developing countries. The disease likely started with a chimp to human jump, recent research confirmed.

Schizophrenia, AIDS and CJD are the most scary to me, Morgellons is up there too

wow...I was surprised that "common colds" was that high on the list. The other nine are definitely diseases I can hopefully avoid...

Yes I was surprised too, what shocks me is the amount of medicine
people ingest to get rid of it.

Probably the Cold is an Minute Alien from another planet using us
and having fun at our expense

Chicken soup works the best, if someone finds anything better
let us know!

Schizophrenia sounds like a long drawn out acid trip that wont end. Pretty scary if you ask me.

This wasn't on the list but I would have to say that Multiple sclerosis is pretty scary! It affects neurons, the cells of the brain and spinal cord that carry information, create thought and perception, and allow the brain to control the body. There is no cure and no explanation of how it works or how you get it. It doesn't affect some people as much as it does other, but I know someone who is 100% disabled at age 40 because of it.

[edit on 1-11-2006 by Techsnow]

When I heard of SCJ I almost turned vegetarian, but after overcoming the fear and eating a bit more healthy I enjoy the meat, but I make sure it is Kosher and try to avoid Pigs at all costs...I eat more fish now too.

I also worked in a meat factory when I was in high school and although some of the stuff in vegetarian sites is exaggerated i must admit working there changes your perspective as to how the meat in your fridge may be questionable.

I am surprised that SIDS was not on that list. That seems to be the most unknown of them all in how it acts.

The thing that gave me the shivers a bit was the Aids comment "The disease likely started with a chimp to human jump, recent research confirmed".


Dare i say it, i hope the first Human who caught it from a chimp didnt catch it the same way that most Human to Human infections are caused

From what I read it was humans doing mass killings of monkeys in the Jungles
I imagine blood splattering everywhere......possible way of getting the chimp form
of the virus into the human bloodstream and letting nature take its course.....

I personally believe that modern medicine uses the term "Autoimmune Disorder" to describe diseases they have to clue about. I as a matter of fact have an :Autoimmune Disorder" called Crohn's disease. My body "thinks" there is a foreign substance in my intestines and is trying to fight off this imaginary "foreign substance".

Through my own research I have found that crohn's disease may have a link to a bacteria called MAP. UK scientists have found that the normal pasteurization of milk does not kill this bacteria. The scientists say you must also be genetically predisposed to the disease for the MAP virus to effect you.

Personally this makes a lot more sense to me. My body is trying to fight off a bacteria that shouldn't be in my gut and it can't win. I used to be a very heavy milk drinker from ages 4-20 until I was diagnosed with this disease, after all I was raised to believe "Milk does a body good". I have now cut milk out of my diet. I do eat some dairy products (sour cream, cream cheese, other cheeses). Ever since I stopped drinking milk my stomach problems have improved ten fold. Coincidence? I think not.

Originally posted by Techsnow
This wasn't on the list but I would have to say that Multiple sclerosis is pretty scary! It affects neurons, the cells of the brain and spinal cord that carry information, create thought and perception, and allow the brain to control the body. There is no cure and no explanation of how it works or how you get it. It doesn't affect some people as much as it does other, but I know someone who is 100% disabled at age 40 because of it.

Just to point out that it was mentioned. You just must have missed it.

6.Autoimmune Disorders
A catchall term for a host of afflictions including Lupus and MS, autoimmune disorders treat the body’s organs and normal functions as enemy invaders. They’re usually chronic, always debilitating, and doctors can do little except ease their symptoms.

Take care.

Not to forget Hemmoragic fever as Ebollah and Marbourg viruses. Pretty scary too!

this is a cool thread....

i am a big 'fan' of odd diseases...when i say fan i mean i read as much as i can and then convince myself that i am going to get it..

some of my 'fav's' are
good ole cancer..i lump all types into cancer...brain cancer and prostate cancer...it hits your lymph glands, bones, brain and you re DONE.
CJD-just totally insane
en.wikipedia.org...
african sleeping sickness
en.wikipedia.org...
of course you have to count ALS and really any motor neuron disease
en.wikipedia.org...
tourettes would be fantastic to have
en.wikipedia.org...
Guillain-Barré
en.wikipedia.org...
pica-having to eat non foods
en.wikipedia.org...
prader-willi--can't stop eating
en.wikipedia.org...
raines syndrome
en.wikipedia.org...