10 Strange Medical Syndromes Youve never heard of

1 - Walking Corpse Syndrome

Sufferers of walking corpse syndrome, also known as the Cotard delusion, believe that they are dead, decaying or have lost body parts or internal organs. In some cases, victims believe that they don't even exist.
Walking corpse syndrome is typically the result of brain damage or mental illness.

2 - Pica syndrome sufferers eat non-foods

Pica is a very strange and rare psychological disorder that causes an appetite for soil, coal, paper, or other traditionally non-food items.
There is no concrete cause, but pica is believed by many to result from a mineral deficiency, and as such, it's found most frequently in pregnant women and children in lower-income areas.

3 - Werewolf Syndrome

Hypertrichosis, or werewolf syndrome, is a medical condition that causes the excessive growth of body hair -- typically on the upper body, including the face.
There are only 50 or so documented cases, and sufferers generally acquire it through genetic inheritance. In 2008, scientists at Columbia University found that an injection of testosterone significantly helped in long-term hair loss in patients with hypertrichosis; the finding was hailed by many as a cure.

4 - Water Allergy

Aquagenic pruritus is a skin disease characterized by the development of severe, intense, prickling-like epidermal itching that is without observable skin lesions and that is evoked by contact with water.
Symptoms may be felt immediately after contact with water or humid air and can persist for an hour or longer. Other triggers may be sweat, blowing air, temperature differences, changing clothes, contact with synthetic fibers, and lying down to try to sleep. This condition may persist for years.

5 - 300 Orgasms a Day Syndrome


Persistent genital arousal disorder also known as persistent sexual arousal syndrome or PSAS, results in a spontaneous and persistent genital arousal, with or without orgasm or genital engorgement, unrelated to any feelings of sexual desire.

6 - Foreign Accent Syndrome

Foreign accent syndrome (FAS) is a speech disorder that causes sudden changes in speech pattern, intonation and pronunciation so that the victim is perceived to speak with a "foreign" accent. FAS usually results from severe trauma to the brain, such as a stroke or head injury, and typically develops within one or two years of the injury. Of the 50 to 60 cases that have been verified since 1941, only a few FAS sufferers regained their normal speech pattern, although some experienced success through speech therapy.

7 - Sleep sex


Sexsomnia is a sleep disorder that, much like sleepwalking, compels the sufferer to engage in sexual activity while asleep. Identified in 2003, sexsomnia has since been cited to acquit defendants accused of sexual assault in British and Canadian criminal cases.

8 - Congenital insensitivity to pain

Chronic condition with inability to feel physical pain. Other sensation is otherwise normal.
Typically due to the mutation of a gene associated with the transmission of pain in the body. As such, they are more susceptible to death by trauma, since they might not be aware of the extent of damage done to their own bodies. There have been around 100 cases documented in the US.s.

9 - Alien Hand Syndrome

Also known as Dr. Strangelove syndrome and "anarchic hand," AIS is a neurological disorder that makes the victim feel like he has lost control of one of his hands. In extreme cases, sufferers have been reported to engage in violent wrestling with their own hand, with the appendages even trying to strangle the patient while sleeping. Alien hand syndrome is caused by trauma to the brain -- such as a stroke, aneurysm or head injury -- and the symptoms can be treated, although the condition itself has no cure.

10 - Exploding Head Syndrome


People with exploding head syndrome intermittently hear loud, explosion-like noises that seem to originate from within their own head. The "explosions" usually occur within an hour or two hours of the victim falling asleep. There's no physical pain, but sufferers understandably experience fear and anxiety after such attacks. While it's not clear what exactly causes the syndrome, it's been linked to stress and fatigue and often vanishes without any treatment

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[edit on 11-9-2009 by phi1618]

[edit on 11-9-2009 by phi1618]

Thought these where kinda strange, ive never heard of most of them. THought it would share this with the community.

I've actually heard of a lot of these, but incredibly interesting none the less. Great find!

I could comment on the Sleep Sex syndrome (as in-- I think most men have it, lol) but I will refrain in order to keep it clean.

reply to post by Alora


haha, sleep sex? i like to be fully awake for anything to do with sex

I'm actually one who has this sleepsex disorder. I made a thread about it maybe a year ago. I think some people who have it, never find it out. It's not like you can tell yourself...someone else has to bring it to your attention.

reply to post by virraszto


can you go further into it, im kinda confused as to what it entails... do you actually have sex, what if they resist?

I don't want to derail this thread. You can read the post I made awhile ago for more info.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

and if you have a question about it, you can u2 me.



[edit on 11-9-2009 by virraszto]

very interesting thread, thank you. Ill keep this in mind in case anyone i know gets accused of rape and has no memory of doing said rape/.

Interesting stuff!

I went to school with a guy with a mild case of hypertrichosis. He was a very hairy dude. It's sad that he was ridiculed. I remember people calling him sasquatch among other names.

Also, Idle Hands I believe is a movie that details alien hand well. Apart from chopping the hand off and his friends head getting cut off and stuff.

Good post!


Posted Via ATS Mobile: m.abovetopsecret.com

Originally posted by virraszto
I'm actually one who has this sleepsex disorder. I made a thread about it maybe a year ago. I think some people who have it, never find it out. It's not like you can tell yourself...someone else has to bring it to your attention.

does it count as sleepsex if you begin the act while sleeping and wake up doing it??? seriously.

I've personally had the 'exploding head syndrome' thing happen to me. Once. About 3 months ago.

Thought I was having an aneurysm until I did some info digging...

I now live in fear when I go to bed that it will happen again. It's like someone fires a rifle inside your head..

reply to post by double_frick


I think it still does. Either way in court if you have the disorder you've got it regardless of actions.

reply to post by phi1618


1 - Walking Corpse Syndrome

Never heard of it.

2 - Pica syndrome sufferers eat non-foods

Know this condition well from professional experience. Many kids that have autism have pica-tendencies.

3 - Werewolf Syndrome

Borat's village, Weekly World News, Discovery Channel heard of this before.

4 - Water Allergy

Sort of heard of this, from Tim Burton's Ed Wood, but I thought it was a joke.

5 - 300 Orgasms a Day Syndrome

I can only wish, although I bet it would be awful. Have not heard of this.

6 - Foreign Accent Syndrome

Knew a girl in college that was really annoying like this.

7 - Sleep sex

Guilty as charged.

8 - Congenital insensitivity to pain

Heard of high pain-thresholds, but this is a first. Never heard of it.

9 - Alien Hand Syndrome

Evil Dead 2. Great film, Bruce Campbell is a genius. Although I thought it was fiction. Never heard of this before.

10 - Exploding Head Syndrome

Drawing a blank.

...

I am 5 for 10, and you said we would never of heard of these conditions before and I am just plucky.

reply to post by juniperberry


according to the OP you may never get it again

reply to post by pluckynoonez


plucky is wise and well knowledge then remember 80 percent of Americans do not know the worlds geography

I suffered from Pica throughout both my pregnancies. I mainly ate cornstarch, but I would eat clay, ice, and a host of other things I dare not mention. I am black and all of my female relatives had the same issue. I was diagnosed with two forms of anemia. After transfusions of Blood and Iron, the cravings went away. Pica is a serious condition is the black and Latino communities.

Originally posted by phi1618
reply to post by double_frick

 

I think it still does. Either way in court if you have the disorder you've got it regardless of actions.

well, i guess in its mild form its a real blessing.
gooooo me!

Originally posted by phi1618
Sexsomnia is a sleep disorder that, much like sleepwalking, compels the sufferer to engage in sexual activity while asleep. Identified in 2003, sexsomnia has since been cited to acquit defendants accused of sexual assault in British and Canadian criminal cases.

Never been involved with an assault but I've experienced this with my woman.

I actually have a mild version of Foreign Accent Syndrome, for years I've intermittently slipped into a British accent, sometimes for days or months at a time, despite having been born in (and never left) British Columbia.

No head injuries, and no real cause for it at all, but it makes for amusing anecdotes when people constantly ask what part of Britain / New Zealand / Australia you are from.

reply to post by IconoclasticTalamasca


I suffered from this during my second pregnancy as well. I'm white, but I have heard African Americans have a higher rate of it. I didn't know Latinos did too.