Evelyn B. Kelly - The 101 Most Unusual Diseases and Disorders

Copyright 2016 by ABC-CLIO, LLC

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review, without prior permission in writing from the publisher.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Kelly, Evelyn B., author.

The 101 most unusual diseases and disorders / Evelyn B. Kelly.

pages cm

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN 978-1-61069-675-3 (hardback) ISBN 978-1-61069-676-0 (e-book) 1. Rare diseases. I. Title. II. Title: One hundred and one most unusual diseases and disorders.

RC48.8.K45 2016

616dc232015023103

ISBN: 978-1-61069-675-3

EISBN: 978-1-61069-676-0

201918171612345

This book is also available on the World Wide Web as an eBook.

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This book discusses treatments (including types of medication and mental health therapies), diagnostic tests for various symptoms and mental health disorders, and organizations. The author has made every effort to present accurate and up-to-date information. However, the information in this book is not intended to recommend or endorse particular treatments or organizations, or to substitute for the care or medical advice of a qualified health professional, or to be used to alter any medical therapy without a medical doctors advice. Specific situations may require specific therapeutic approaches not included in this book. For those reasons, we recommend that readers follow the advice of qualified health care professionals directly involved in their care. Readers who suspect they may have specific medical problems should consult a physician about any suggestions made in this book.

I dedicate this book to my husband Charles,
my four children, and my four grandchildren.
They light up my life.

For a book such as this, one that has diverse diseases and disorders, I am indebted to many people, who have provided opportunities and training. I thank the staff at the University of Florida, who during my doctoral training, assisted me in learning about many of the disorders that affect children. I thank my many editors who have given me the opportunity to write over 400 articles. I especially appreciate ABC-CLIO/Greenwood Press for giving me the opportunity to present ideas to them for five other books. This one is my sixth book for ABC-CLIO, making a total of 17 books that I have written.

I am especially grateful to the American Medical Writers Association and the National Association of Science Writers for assisting me not only in writing, but in keeping up with scientific and medical advances.

Of course, no book would have been possible without the help and encouragement of my family. My husband, Charles L. Kelly, my four children, and my four grandchildren are my source of continued love and encouragement.

How many diseases are there in the world? How many disorders can affect a human body? There are undoubtedly thousands, if not tens of thousands. Some diseases that were once common, such as smallpox, have all but disappeared from the Earth, and exist only in secure laboratory vials. Some are present only in the darkest recesses of the worlds jungles or in remote areas, but with global travel and immigration, they are emerging into hospitals, with doctors admitting that they have never seen them before.

Diseases come in different sizes and with different effects. Some like influenza (the flu) are on the tips of peoples tongues, especially during certain times of year. Some diseases, such as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) or avian bird flu, get quick publicity and then disappear just as rapidly. Some disorders we hear a lot about because of constant advertising on television or radio. Such diseases as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), osteoporosis, and mesothelioma were made household names by ads on television or in magazines.

These are not the diseases in this book. You have probably not heard of most of the 101 diseases featured here. You probably do not know anyone with uncombable hair syndrome or Pickwickian syndrome. Some of the disorders you may know by their characteristics or by other names. For example, you have probably heard of women who write to serial killers, but do not recognize the name hybristophilia.

I chose to compile the list of included diseases and disorders from various sources. As a medical writer, several of the disorders, especially those with genetic origins, I have written about before, but I have tried to choose some of the most unusual diseases, not just because they are unknown, but because they have an interesting or unusual component to them. Some of the diseases were suggested to me by other medical writers. I would never have known about burning tongue syndrome or Charles Bonnet syndrome without the help of these people. I hope you will find these conditions interesting, but please remember these diseases are real and affect real people, and should never be taken cavalierly.

The purpose of this book is to inform and educate the reader about rare and unusual diseases. It is hoped that the reader will gain appreciation for the fact that these diseases are real and affect real people. Sometimes these diseases are called orphan diseases, a name which has been changed to simply rare diseases. While these conditions are rare, collectively there are many people who suffer from a rare condition.

The book is divided into five sections based on the causes behind these diseases and disorders. Each section includes an introduction that will give some background on the section in general. The introduction to each section will lay the foundation for understanding some of the terms used in the section.

The five sections covered include:

Unusual Genetic Disorders

Unusual Mental Health Disorders

Unusual Environmental Diseases and Disorders

Unusual Infectious Diseases

Unusual Diseases and Disorders with Other or Unexplained Origins

The resources list at the end of the volume will provide readers with information for further investigation.

Each entry in the book will include a fact box highlighting the most important facts about that condition. Entries follow the same general format, including a description of the condition and its causes, its signs and symptoms, how it is diagnosed, and how it is treated. Some entries also contain sidebars, which provided additional high interest information, such as personal case studies.

Please note that information provided in this book may not be considered complete from a clinical perspective, as this book is intended for a lay audience who does not necessarily want or need to know all the medical minutiae related to a particular condition. And, in many cases, research into causes, diagnosis methods, and treatments for these conditions is ongoing. This book is not intended as a tool for medical diagnosis or treatment. If you have questions about specific symptoms or treatments, please consult with your health care professional.