Bizzare Medical Conditions

Alice in Wonderland Syndrome

AIWS is a strange neurological disorder that distorts one’s perception of the sizes of objects around them, as well as their body image. Those with this condition tend to misperceive their own size compared to their surroundings, feeling too big or too small - just as Alice did when she fell down the rabbit hole. The issue originates in the brain, affecting the senses either chronically or for a few minutes.

Methemoglobinemia

Methemoglobinemia comes from the body’s overproduction of a form of hemoglobin called methemoglobin. It usually comprises 1% of the blood, but those with this disorder can have almost 20%, causing the hemoglobin to be unable to properly distribute blood throughout the body. As a result, people with it develop brown-colored blood, purple lips, and blue skin. Methemoglobinemia is endemic to certain Native American populations, but most cases arise from exposure to certain toxins.

Water Allergy

Being allergic to water seems impossible, but it’s a condition suffered by only 32 people on the planet. Called aquagenic urticaria, it can cause the patient to develop rashes or swelling on the skin after making contact with water, resulting in showering, crying, and drinking water being extremely painful. Antihistamines and UV light therapy are used to help treat this condition, though a cause and cure has yet to be found.

Stone Man Syndrome

Also known as fibrodysplasia, Stone Man Syndrome is a rare genetic disorder in which ligaments and tendons are turned into bone. When soft tissues of the body are injured, through things as minor as muscle injections or overexertion, the tissue can ossify and prevent all movement. Although treatments such as physical rehabilitation and medication can alleviate some of the pain of this condition, the median lifespan for those afflicted is only 40 years of age, and most die of cardiorespiratory failure.

Jerusalem Syndrome

Jerusalem Syndrome is a mental phenomenon in which, upon visiting the city of Jerusalem, a person develops obsessive religious ideas and exhibits delusional or psychotic behavior. This mental state is usually resolved within a few weeks, with most patients stopping their hysteria after being removed from the area.

Strangely, this condition is not confined to followers of Judaism, or those with a history of mental illness.

These episodes have been theorized to be similar across places of religious or historical importance, such as Paris (Paris Syndrome), Rome, and Mecca, as well as in the presence of art (Stendhal Syndrome).