Ten Strange Medical Conditions That Sound Made Up

Foreign Accent Syndrome

Foreign accent syndrome (FAS) is a condition where the way you talk shifts and changes in a way that’s sudden and very noticeable. As the name suggests, it sounds to others like you’ve started talking with a foreign accent. FAS may indicate something is disrupting your brain function.

Though a person with FAS may sound like they’re speaking with a different accent, it’s usually a change in how a person makes certain sounds. Language experts and people who naturally have that accent (or a similar one) can typically pick out that it doesn’t fully match the accent it sounds most like.

Alice in Wonderland Syndrome

Alice in Wonderland syndrome (AIWS) is a rare condition that disrupts your brain’s ability to process sensory input. The disruption affects how you perceive the size of things you see around you, the feel or look of your own body, or both. It can also distort your sense of reality.

Stone Man Syndrome

Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP) is a genetic condition where people are born with bunions and their body’s muscle tissue and connective tissues, like tendons and ligaments, turn into bone on the outside of their skeleton. This condition restricts movement and can cause a loss of mobility over time in people diagnosed with the condition. Symptoms of FOP appear during childhood and usually begin at the neck and shoulders before moving to other areas of the body.

Walking Corpse Syndrome

Cotard's syndrome is a rare neuropsychiatric condition in which the patient denies existence of one's own body to the extent of delusions of immortality. One of the consequences of Cotard's syndrome is self-starvation because of negation of existence of self. Although Cotard's syndrome has been reported to be associated with various organic conditions and other forms of psychopathology, it is less often reported to be seen in patients with catatonia. In this report we present two cases of Cotard's syndrome, both of whom had associated self-starvation and nutritional deficiencies and one of whom had associated catatonia.

Exploding Head Syndrome

Exploding head syndrome (EHS) is a sleep disorder that makes you hear explosions or other sudden, loud sounds in your sleep. It can be scary to experience, but EHS isn’t painful and isn’t a sign that something is wrong with your ears or brain. There isn’t any specific treatment, but a provider can help you manage symptoms and potential triggers.

Werewolf Syndrome (Hypertrichosis)

Hypertrichosis is a rare condition that causes extra hair growth on your body or face. It can be present from birth or develop later in life. While it isn’t dangerous, it can be frustrating or affect confidence. Treatments like hair removal or medication can help manage symptoms and improve comfort.

Alien Hand Syndrome

Alien hand syndrome can feel like someone else is controlling your hand’s movements. Your hand may perform goal-directed activities that you don’t tell it to do, like grabbing objects or buttoning a shirt. This can happen after an injury or surgery to your brain or with certain conditions. Some cases don’t last long, but others can persist for years.

Blue Skin Disorder

The Blue Fugates were famously known for inheriting and passing on the rare gene that causes methemoglobinemia, a blood disorder that produces an abnormally high amount of methemoglobin (a form of hemoglobin). Individuals who have this disease are at risk of developing very dark, almost chocolate- colored blood or blue skin. This is because the hemoglobin that they produce is unable to carry sufficient amounts of oxygen throughout the body and oxygenate tissues.

Pica

Pica is a mental health condition where a person compulsively swallows non-food items. It’s especially common in children and with certain conditions. While it’s often harmless, swallowing certain items can make pica very hazardous. Fortunately, it’s often treatable with therapy and modification to lifestyle and circumstances.

Prosopagnosia (Face Blindness)

Prosopagnosia is a condition where you struggle to recognize faces or can’t interpret facial expressions and cues. It usually happens because of brain damage, but some people have it at birth. Treatment focuses on underlying causes or helping you adapt so you can recognize people in other ways.