1. Alien Hand Syndrome This is not the "Thing" from The Addams Family but a very real medical condition in which a patient has absolutely no control over one of their hands. First discovered in 1908 by a German neuro-psychiatrist named Kur Goldstein, his research showed that this neurological disorder occurs in people who have had the two hemispheres of their brains surgically separated, or from having a stroke, and even having Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease. It is believed to have a will of its own and may involuntary injure the patient by slapping or strangling them. There are currently no approved medications for AHS but there are behavioural interventions to help regain control over their hand movement even though the effectiveness is not guaranteed. 2. Human Werewolf syndrome Also known as hypertrichosis, not from the latest Wolverine movie, the Human Werewolf syndrome refers to excessive body hair that can occur over the entire body with the exception of the palms and soles of the feet or just a small area of the body. Present at birth or even acquired later in life, the density, thickness, color and hair growth varies from one part of the body to another and also, from one person to another. There are two methods to classify hypertrichosis: congenital and acquired. Congenital forms of hypertrichosis are extremely rare and are caused by genetic mutations while acquired forms appear after birth with multiple causes such as side effects of drugs, associations with cancer, and possible links with eating disorders. There is no cure for any congenital forms of hypertrichosis although there are medications undergoing testing to reduce the production of hair. 3. Stone Man Syndrome We are not referring to the stone character from Fantastic Four but rather, a terrifying syndrome in which fibrous tissue become ossified when it’s damaged. This extremely rare disease regenerates torn tissue as bone in response to damage, gradually forming a second skeleton and causing immobility. Caused by a mutation in the ACVR1 gene that controls cell growth and proliferation in muscles and connective tissue, it is estimated to affect only one in every two million people worldwide. It takes the smallest injury to trigger bone growth and there is no cure or even any effective treatments or surgeries to remove the excess bone as it only encourages more bone growth. There are current attempts, however, to find drugs that will halt new bone formation. 4. Alice in Wonderland Syndrome Ever watched the scene in which Alice finds herself growing and shrinking? Named after the book, Alice in Wonderland syndrome (AIWS) is a brain disorder that impairs a person's perspective of size. Patients with this condition can experience alterations of body image of their surrounding environment in which they perceive body parts or external objects to be bigger or smaller than its actual size. These misperceptions often occur at night but it is unclear what exactly causes AIWS although there are a few conditions such as epilepsy, brain tumours, use of psychoactive medications or the Epstein-barr virus that has been associated with the development of it. While is most common among children, it often disappears once they reach adolescence, with a few cases of the condition persisting into adulthood. 5. Walking Corpse Syndrome Another disorder that sounded like it came from a movie but unfortunately, it is a mental disorder whereby a person believes themselves as dead or missing certain body parts. Unlike in The Walking Dead, these patients do not crave human flesh but instead, they may avoid eating or drinking as they believe that they do not exist. Some may even visit cemeteries and neglect personal hygiene and physical health. While it is an extremely rare condition, it is has been reported to occur side by side other mental illnesses such as schizophrenia and mood disorders. Therapy along with antidepressants and antipsychotics has been shown to help control the symptoms as well as electroconvulsive treatment. However, more research needs to be done on this condition as scientists still cannot figure out the cause of this disease and how to treat it. 6. Vampire Syndrome While different from the Twilight movie in which they crave blood, it is similar for the patients who do not want to be in the sun. Formally known as porphyria, it is an incurable and inherited disease that causes not only blisters but also cramps and paralysis when the patient is exposed to sunlight. People suffering from this syndrome experience other symptoms that we associate with vampires such as being sensitive to sunlight while their gums may also shrink, thus making their teeth look sharper and even having an adverse reaction to garlic. Presently, this condition is being treated with a combination of high carbohydrate diet and avoiding the triggers that may lead to an attack. 7. Kleine–Levin Syndrome Much like in the Sleeping Beauty, Kleine–Levin Syndrome (KLS) is a rare and complex sleep disorder characterised by recurring periods of excessive amounts of sleep and mood changes. Many of them also experience hypersexuality, hyperphagia and other symptoms. This disorder often occurs in children and resolves itself as the patient ages. It is not life-threatening, however, even though the condition can greatly affect the personal, professional, and social lives of the afflicted. Affected individuals may go for a period of weeks, months or even years without experiencing any symptoms, and then symptoms reappear with little warning. There has been no known cure and little evidence supporting drug treatment as there are no known causes of KLS. After uncovering just seven out of 7,000 rare and bizarre medical conditions of the world, it is unsuprising that there is little reserach into the causes and treatments of these diseases as the chances of being afflicted is very unlikely. However, health organisations are collaborating to advance research into these rare illnesses and hopefully, answers may be found for these patients. Source
