Rare Diseases

If you've recently been traveling in a malaria-infected area, there's a possibility that you've contracted malaria. The symptoms are different for different people, but there are some indicators...

I started having really bad dizzy spells and didn't know the cause. No doctors could tell me why. I had many different MRI's and tests, that the doctors basically told me it was all in my head. Do...

Pityriasis Leichenoides et Variolaformis Acuta (PLEVA), also called Mucha Habermann's disease, is a rare condition that affects the skin, causing clusters of small, itchy bumps to form on the...

People living with Pulmonary Hypertension, a continuous high blood pressure inside the lungs that weakens the heart over time, tend to face daily challenges as well as life threatening situations....

According to the American Psychological Association, phobias are one of the most common mental disorders, affecting over 11 percent of men and women. As opposed to general fears, phobias are...

Gray syndrome is an increasingly rare condition; however, it is very serious. This condition can happen in babies who undergo treatment that includes giving them a type of antibiotic medication...

The tapeworm is a creature that isn't loved by many. Most people only see a section of the tapeworm when they discover a piece left behind from a pet. Although rare, human beings can also play...

Yeast infections can occur anywhere in the body that is dark and damp. And despite popular belief, yeast infections in the belly button are not limited to people with piercings in their navel. ...

A serious genetic disorder with devastating symptoms, Wilson's Disease causes excess copper to accumulate in the liver, brain and eyes. The disease is inherited from both parents and is present at...

Guillain-Barre Syndrome is an autoimmune disorder. While scientists have not identified a single cause, the onset of Guillain-Barre Syndrome sometimes follows vaccination, surgery or infection....

Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS) is a very difficult disease as it is a life-long battle with an insatiable appetite accompanied by slight retardation and many psychological disorders. There is no cure...

If you’re starting to notice a change in your speaking voice, you may be developing a condition called Spasmodic Dysphonia. SD is a neurological dystonia that causes your vocal muscles to spasm....

Why is the sky blue? What makes it rain? These are just a couple of the burning questions parents hear from their children time after time. Questions about science and nature can be tricky enough,...

Does your child have pain from sickle cell disease? Well mine did. She would have pain at least once a month and it began to happen twice a month. Thats when I tried this. It worked for her....

Dysautonomia is a malfunction or imbalance of the automatic nervous system. Systems that may be affected include digestive, skeletal, respiratory and cardiovascular. The symptoms of dysautonomia...

A child with Hyperekplexia faces many daily challenges. Unexpected startle, stiff muscles and anxiety are some of the challenges that these children face each day. By understanding what triggers...

Necrotizing fasciitis is most commonly known as "the flesh eating bacteria." Necrotizing faciitis is caused by strep A bacteria, the same strain that causes strep throat. Necrotizing fasciitis is...

Unfortunately symptoms of pancreatic cancer are not evident until the cancer has reached the point where medical detection can do little to increase survival rate. If you suspect you may have...

Are you worried about the Swine Flu that is going around the United States? Do you have concerns about the Swine Flu? The Swine Flu is serious and has the potential to be a big problem. The key is...

Are you about to cancel travel plans because of the Swine Flu? Many people are understandably concerned about the risk of getting Swine Flu during their travel plans. Yet, we can’t always cancel a...

Rabies is a viral disease that is contagious and affects the brain and nervous system of animals. Rabies travels along the nerves up to the brain causing inflammation and headache, fever, mania,...

Personal hygiene is big business in the United States. We are bombarded with ads telling how to be clean and smell clean. One of the biggest concerns for most of us is does our breath smell clean...

Wilson's Disease is a rare, genetic disorder that causes copper to build up to toxic levels in the body, damaging the liver, kidney, joints, eyes and brain. It ultimately causes death if not...

The symptoms of Wilson's Disease, a rare disorder that causes dangerous levels of copper to accumulate in the body, can be stealthy. Although copper buildup begins at birth, the disorder may not...

People with Wilson's Disease are unable to metabolize copper, which builds up in the liver, brain and eyes and causes severe damage. To test for Wilson's Disease, your doctor will order blood and...

According to the Wilson's Disease Association, Wilson's Disease affects only about one in 30,000 people worldwide. People with Wilson's Disease are unable to metabolize copper, which is present in...

Guillain-Barre Syndrome is a rare disorder that causes progressive weakening of the muscles, sometimes resulting in complete paralysis. Following symptom onset, the condition frequently worsens...

You can live well with Guillain-Barre Syndrome, a rare autoimmune disorder, with the help of a regular exercise program, good nutrition and medication to manage residual pain. After the initial...

The symptoms of Guillain-Barre Syndrome can come on with sudden and frightening speed. This rare autoimmune disorder causes muscle weakening and paralysis, sometimes progressing to the point at...

Guillain-Barre Syndrome is a rare autoimmune disorder that causes sudden weakness in the lower part of the body that escalates and spreads to the arms and upper body. While there is no cure for...

Apert syndrome (Acrocephalosyndactyly) is a rare genetic disorder. The mutated gene responsible is the fibroblast growth factor receptor 2. It can be passed to a baby by one parent or develop the...

There is no cure for radiation sickness, which is caused by body tissue exposed to radioactive substances. The symptoms are treated on a case by case basis since the degree of sickness and the...

Acromegaly is a rare disease usually affecting people in adulthood. It's so uncommon, it is either not noticed for many years or is misdiagnosed. It can become a dangerous and sometimes deadly...

Acromegaly is an extremely rare disease; only three to four people out of 1 million are diagnosed with it. This disease is often life threatening due to its nature, the accompanying health risks...

Elephantiasis (lymphatic filariasis) is a horrible, disfiguring disease. We think of it as a rare occurrence when, in actuality approximately 120 million people are suffering from it, and the...

Gigantism, a rare disease affecting children, is related to acromegaly, which strikes adults between the ages of 30 and 50. People with gigantism grow extremely tall--the tallest was known to be 8...

There are many strange diseases and syndromes in the medical field, but one of the most unusual and disturbing to the patient is alien hand syndrome (AHS). This is the name of a dysfunction in...

The Great Plague, or "Black Death" that wiped out nearly a third of the European population actually has three manifestations: the bubonic plague, pneumonic plague and septicaemic plague. This...

Pneumonic plague is one of three of the most dreaded diseases caused by the bacterium yersinia pestis. It is also the most lethal; in some cases the mortality rate is 100 percent. It may also...

Phenylketonuria (PKU) is a condition that is treatable by diet. The goal is to maintain the blood level of the amino acid phenylalanine between 2 to 10mg/dl. Left untreated, PKU results in IQs...

Porphyria is a group of disorders involving the blood and nervous system. The condition of porphyria has long been associated with vampire legends. Vampire characteristics are similar to those of...

Werner syndrome (WS), an autosomal recessive genetic disorder, presents as premature aging. Patients with WS seem to age at an increased rate after puberty, and are more likely to develop cancer...

Speticaemic Plague is caused by the virus yersinia pestis, which is also responsible for the bubonic plague and the pneumonic plague. This manifestation occurs when the microorganism enters...

Biliary atresia is a condition that inflicts newborns with the closure or destruction of ducts that drain bile from the liver. It occurs on average in one of every 15,000 births, and slightly more...

Keeping up on personal hygiene has a tremendous affect on a person's well being, not just physical but emotional, too. A person who is paralyzed may need help with cleaning themselves. Cleaning...

Toxic Shock Syndrome is an increasingly rare, but serious condition. It can cause high fevers, seizures and, in the worst-case scenario, organ failure. Even after TSS is treated, it can recur. No...

Inclusion-body myositis (IBM) is a muscle disease that tends to slowly but progressively lead to weakness. The cause is unknown, and treatments are elusive. This disease is often misdiagnosed as...

Polymyositis, or PM, is a rare condition affecting the muscles. It is an autoimmune disease that is difficult to diagnose. In fact, people diagnosed with PM are sometimes later diagnosed with...

Being cold while outside during the winter months is an unpleasant experience for many people; however, for people suffering from Raynaud's Disease, the experience can be far more serious. The...

If you've been diagnosed with Raynaud's then you are likely looking for ways to keep your fingers, toes and other affected areas from experiencing the extreme pain of the disease. While there is...