7 Strange Medical Conditions You Never Knew Existed

The human body is complex, to say the least. Because of this, it is prone to encountering a variety of different medical problems. While some of these problems are fairly straightforward, others of these problems are, well, weird.

You may think that you’ve heard it all as far as medical conditions go, but there’s a very good chance that you haven’t. Here are 7 strange medical conditions you probably never knew existed.

1. Capgras Delusion

Capgras Delusion is a psychological disorder which causes the affected individual to believe that a specific loved one is an impostor. Those who suffer from this disorder will believe that a wife, a husband, a sibling, a parent, a friend, or another type of relative is someone different than who that person once was.

In most cases, those who suffer from Capgras Delusion will also suffer from schizophrenia. However, the disorder has also presented itself in those who do not suffer from schizophrenia.

Other conditions which are often tied to Capgras Delusion include diabetes, brain injury, dementia, hypothyroidism, and migraine headaches. It most typically presents itself in older individuals.

2. Inability to Grow

Imagine being 20 years old, but having the mind and body of a 2-year-old. Believe it or not, this is a medical condition which actually exists. While it’s extremely rare, it has affected a handful of people throughout the years.

Perhaps the most famous case of this medical condition was a woman by the name of Brooke Greenberg. Despite the fact that Greenberg lived to be 20 years old, she never developed physically or mentally past the age of 2. When she died, she was around 30 inches tall, and weighed approximately 16 pounds.

As of this date, doctors and medical researchers are not 100% sure of what causes an inability to grow. However, some doctors have speculated that it might come about as a result of failed control genes.

3. Manic Group Dancing

Throughout history, there have been a number of different occasions in which large groups of people spontaneously start dancing together in the streets. The two most famous cases occurred in the towns of Aachen, Germany and Strasbourg, France in the 17th and 14th centuries, respectively.

In many cases, these people would dance to the point of total exhaustion, passing out, and sometimes even dying. These dancing marathons would sometimes go on for weeks at a time.

To this day, no one has a concrete reason as to why these dancing marathons took place. Hypotheses range from the physical, to the psychological, to the spiritual, and everything in between.

4. Cotard’s Syndrome

Another fascinating, yet strange psychological disorder is Cotard’s Syndrome. This is a disorder in which the affected person believes him or herself to be dead, non-existent, or without internal organs or blood. Named after neurologist Jules Cotard, it was first discussed in 1880.

Those who suffer from Cotard’s Syndrome typically also suffer from either paranoid schizophrenia or psychotic depression. Cotard’s Syndrome is typically seen as an extreme symptom of those mental illnesses. However, the syndrome can also come about due to brain injury; it’s believed to be spurred on by injury to the frontal lobe, the cerebral hemisphere, and the ventricular system.

Treatments for Cotard’s Syndrome run the gamut from anti-psychotic drugs, to antidepressants, to mood stabilizers, to electroshock therapy, and more.

5. Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva

Of all the bizarre medical conditions out there, fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva might be the most bizarre. This is a condition in which muscles, ligaments, and tendons turn into bones after being broken or torn. It’s a genetically inherited disease.

When a sufferer of this condition suffers a broken bone or a torn ligament, that broken bone or torn ligament will almost immediately be replaced with bone. In some cases, the growth of this bone will lock the body into one position, preventing the sufferer from being able to move. When doctors try to operate on an affected person, they will often find that cutting out existing bone results in the growth of additional bone.

Also called Stoneman Disease, this condition has no viable form of treatment. Because of this, most of those who suffer from it die by the age of 40. Currently, here are around 800 active cases of this disease.

6. Marie Antoinette Syndrome

Named after the infamous French Queen, Marie Antoinette Syndrome is a condition in which a person’s hair spontaneously turns white. It is named Marie Antoinette Syndrome because Marie Antoinette’s hair was said to have turned white directly after she was captured during the French Revolution.

As of right now, doctors and medical researches are not 100% certain of the cause of this condition. However, there is some belief that it is associated with the autoimmune system. It has been found that it typically takes place when a person is put under a great deal of stress.

In some cases, the affected person’s hair will change back to its original color. However, in other cases, it will remain white.

7. Meniere’s Disease

Another of our interesting medical conditions is an ear disease known as Meniere’s Disease. This is a disease which causes gradual hearing loss, vertigo, ear ringing, and a general feeling of pressure building up inside the ear. For many suffers, it can be absolutely debilitating.

The reason that Meniere’s Disease is so bizarre is that no one can find a cause for it. Instead, doctors typically try to blame a number of different factors. These factors include excess fluid buildup, an impaired immune system, head injuries, genetics, and much, much more.

Fortunately, however, there are some treatment options available for this disease. Antibiotics and surgeries can typically be used to lessen the effects of the condition. In any case, if you suffer from the symptoms of Meniere’s Disease, it’s recommended that you go see a hearing aid specialist.

Learn About More Strange Medical Conditions

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