You’ve most likely heard of many ailments and well being issues that befall humanoids, however there are some unusual syndromes on the market that you just most likely aren’t acquainted with. How many of those uncommon medical situations have you ever heard of?
Exploding head syndrome is a wierd sleep problem the place individuals hear a loud noise or explosion of their head.
Exploding Head Syndrome
Imagine what it could be wish to be sleeping soundly, solely to be jolted out of a lifeless sleep by the sound of an explosion tearing by way of your head? No, you haven’t been shot; you’ve gotten exploding head syndrome. This unusual ailment, also called hypnagogic or “exploding” sleep problem, is a uncommon situation the place a sufferer hears loud noises of their head. The commonest time these noises happen is whereas falling asleep. The noises can differ from thunderclaps to gunshots, however the sounds might be weird, like creaking doorways. In most instances, the sound will final only some seconds, however they are often extra persistent and related to different signs, like seeing a flashing gentle.
Exploding head syndrome is commonest in girls over 50 who’re pressured or fatigued, however it additionally happens in younger adults too. According to Cleveland Clinic, 16% of school college students reported it in a single research. It’s not harmful — though it may be scary for individuals who expertise it. Unfortunately, researchers have but to know why some individuals expertise it and others don’t.
Foreign Accent Syndrome was first described in a Norwegian girl, who was hit within the head by a bomb fragment throughout World War II and took on a powerful German accent.
Foreign Accent Syndrome
Foreign accent syndrome (FAS) is a situation wherein an individual speaks with a unique accent. Suddenly, you sound such as you’re from one other nation. Some individuals with this syndrome have one other situation, like a mind tumor or a number of sclerosis, however there’s been at the very least one case of a lady creating it after dental surgical procedure. Although uncommon, there is no such thing as a remedy. The remedy most docs suggest is speech remedy to right the accent.
A neurologist in Norway first described the situation in 1941. A Norwegian girl hit by a fraction from a bomb throughout World War II started talking with a powerful German accent. So robust was the accent that she grew to become the goal of hate speech directed towards Germans. The illness has since been documented all through Europe and North America, together with instances of individuals born and raised within the U.S.
Abul Bajandar, 25 years outdated is the fourth man on this planet with the tree man sickness, a uncommon pores and skin dysfunction brought on by a virus named human papillomaviruses awaits remedy on the Dhaka Medical College, in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Credit: Monirul Alam
Tree Man Disease
Tree Man illness, also called epidermodysplasia verruciformis, causes a sort of viral wart to develop everywhere in the physique. The warts aren’t contagious, and docs can take away them with surgical procedure, however they have an inclination to develop again. Plus, the warts are related to a better threat of cutaneous cancers (cancers affecting the pores and skin). This dysfunction normally runs in households.
Interestingly, individuals with tree man illness have issues regulating the quantity of zinc inside cells, together with viral cells. There is not any remedy for this situation, so in case you assume you may need it, your greatest wager is to go to a dermatologist ASAP.
Supatra “Nat” Sasuphan from Thailand was born with hypertrichosis, or “werewolf syndrome.” Credit: guinnessworldrecords.com
Human Werewolf Syndrome
Here’s a genetic dysfunction you’ve most likely by no means heard of: human werewolf syndrome, also called hypertrichosis. This situation, found within the 1600s, causes an abundance of hair to develop on an individual’s face and physique. Affecting all races and sexes, it’s so uncommon that there are solely about 50 identified instances on this planet. Some individuals with the illness have hair throughout their our bodies and appear like a werewolf. Other individuals with this uncommon situation solely have thick patches on their faces or different discrete areas of pores and skin.
Human werewolf syndrome could present up at delivery or develop later in life. It’s normally innocent, however typically the additional hair causes irritation or discomfort if it grows into open wounds or will get tousled in clothes or jewellery. Otherwise, individuals with human werewolf syndrome seem in good well being, and it doesn’t shorten their lifespan.
People with the neurological situation referred to as Alice in Wonderland Syndrome can understand objects as being smaller than they really are.
Alice in Wonderland Syndrome
Alice in Wonderland syndrome is a uncommon neurological situation that impacts an individual’s sense of time, physique picture, sound, and dimension. Named after the novel by Lewis Carroll, it’s additionally known as Todd’s syndrome, Liliputian hallucinations, and micropsia. The situation normally exhibits up in younger youngsters or these with mind injury. The signs are hallucinations or distortions of notion (equivalent to seeing objects as smaller than they are surely).
An instance can be a baby out of the blue believing that objects are smaller in dimension or additional away than they’re. They might also have an altered physique picture, believing their physique is smaller than it’s. People with Alice in Wonderland syndrome steadily expertise migraine complications too, and the situation is usually related to mind tumors. There’s no remedy for this situation, aside from controlling the migraine complications.
People that undergo from aquagenic pruritus have extreme itching after contact with water.
Aquagenic Pruritus
Aquagenic pruritus is a uncommon pores and skin situation that causes an intense itching sensation after encountering water. It can occur to individuals with or with out different pores and skin situations, however it’s commonest amongst these with eczema or other rashes.
The itching usually begins within 5-10 minutes of contact with water and can be severe, so much so that the person is unable to sleep. The symptoms can last for hours and may require antihistamines to manage the irritation. Some people develop such distressing itching that they become afraid to take a bath. However, bathing in cold water can sometimes temporarily stop the itching.
The Bottom Line
There you have it; some bizarre and, thankfully, rare conditions that cause strange symptoms. Needless to say, you probably don’t want any of them!
References:
- My.ClevelandClinic.org. “Exploding Head Syndrome”
- ABCNews.go.com. “Rare Syndrome Causes Woman to Speak with a Foreign Accent”
- Healthline.com. “Hypertrichosis (Werewolf Syndrome): Causes, Treatments, and Types”
- Emedicine.medcape.com. “Congenital Hypertrichosis Lanuginosa
- CPNeurology.org. “Alice in Wonderland Syndrome”
- My.ClevelandClinic.org “Aquagenic Pruritis: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment”
