Top 10 Diseases That Cannot Be Explained

This neuropsychological condition takes its name from Lewis Carroll’s iconic novel and directly references one experience in particular. Those suffering from Alice in Wonderland Syndrome, or dysmetropsia, experience an impaired sense of perception. Objects appear smaller or larger than they actually are, not to mention closer or farther away. Basically, it makes you feel like Alice after she drinks the mysterious potion. This condition is typically associated with head injuries and migraines, but no one really knows what causes it. One leading theory is that an abnormally large amount of blood is sent to the area of the brain that processes perception, resulting in a warped sense of reality. But, again, this is just one theory among many.

#9: Foreign Accent Syndrome

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This is an incredibly rare condition. Between 1941 and 2009, the medical community documented just 62 confirmed cases of foreign accent syndrome. When an individual acquires this condition, they begin speaking in what sounds like a different accent. However, it’s not like a midwestern American suddenly wakes up with a flawless Welsh dialect. Rather, this syndrome relates to an altered type of speaking that is only perceived as a different accent. The medical community doesn’t really know what causes FAS, but it’s likely due to significant damage in the left hemisphere of the brain. As a result, the syndrome typically becomes pronounced after serious head trauma or, more commonly, a stroke.

Simply known as progeria, this is an extremely rare disorder that causes premature aging in young children. Victims experience significant developmental delays before physical symptoms become pronounced. Those suffering from progeria are typically short, bald, and have a disproportionately small face. Progeria typically takes the victim around 13 or 14 years old. What we do know is that the disease is caused by an abnormal protein called progerin. But no one knows why the disease causes rapid aging. It’s believed that compounds called free radicals cause premature damage to the cells, resulting in their impaired function. Either way, this is a horrible disease that affects one in 18 million children.

Morgellons is not actually recognized by the medical community. Those purportedly suffering from Morgellons tend to self-diagnose and claim that they have skin lesions containing some sort of unnatural fibrous material. The medical community believes this is a form of delusional parasitosis, in which victims believe that bugs or parasites are living under their skin. Just why people believe this is not known. The leading theory is that the brain is overloaded by dopamine due to a malfunctioning dopamine transporter. This transporter can break down from a variety of diseases and infections, or from harmful stimulants. This is why delusional parasitosis is often associated with cocaine use and is informally known as “cocaine bugs.”

Many people have heard of the bizarre dancing plagues. Occurring between the 14th and 17th centuries, these were outbreaks of random dancing that occurred in thousands of individuals across Europe. And this wasn’t fun dancing - it was dancing to the point of physical exhaustion and collapse, and maybe even injury. To this day, no one has any idea what these plagues were about. Some claim that the dancing was meant to alleviate stress and that it wasn’t a disorder at all. Others believe they were staged by religious cults. And some believe it was a genuine illness caused by ergot poisoning or epilepsy. Contemporary sources had no idea what caused it, and unlike virtually everything else from Medieval Europe, that knowledge has not improved.

#5: Burning Mouth Syndrome

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You know that intense feeling you get after eating something spicy? Well, imagine living with that for years, or even the rest of your life, and you have burning mouth syndrome. Sufferers of this bizarre condition feel a scalding or tingling sensation in their mouths that cannot be alleviated and does not have a medical cause. This is not a harmful condition, but it tends to negatively affect the quality of life, and as such, is typically treated with antidepressants. English pop singer Sheila Chandra was forced to retire due to this condition, as simply speaking causes her great pain. No one has any idea what causes primary BMS, and there is no known cure.

And here we have yet another mysterious disease that struck Europe throughout the 15th and 16th centuries. The sweating sickness began with great limb pain and violent cold shivers. After an hour or two, people would break out in heavy sweat, experience an unquenchable thirst, and grow delirious before collapsing or dying. All this occurred in just one day and came on completely out of the blue. The last recorded outbreak occurred in 1551, although France experienced something similar as recent as 1918. No one has any idea what caused it, but theories range from an unknown hantavirus to the poor sanitation of the time. Living back then really did suck.

One of the most peculiar disorders on this planet is pica, which occurs both in humans and other mammals. Pica is the desire to eat objects that are not food and do not have any nutritional value. This can include the likes of drywall, glass, wood, and even more disgusting things like urine and feces. While pica is not harmful in itself, the objects that a victim swallows can do great damage to their bodies and intestinal tracts. Pica is currently categorized as a mental disorder and the exact causes are up for debate. Some believe it has something to do with OCD and schizophrenia, while others think it arises from mineral deficiencies in the blood.

More simply known as “water allergy,” aquagenic urticaria proves that humans aren’t meant to be in the water. Well, some humans, anyway. Those suffering from water allergy will break out in hives after coming into contact with water. This occurs with all forms of water, and with any temperature. Even sweating or crying can result in hives, as the water content found within sweat and tears is enough to cause an outbreak. The hives may itch, and they typically disappear after an hour or so. There is no known cure for this phenomenon (aside from avoiding water, that is). And yes, that means no baths or showers. And best of all - no one has any idea what causes it. It’s just one of those things.

#1: Exploding Head Syndrome

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For something so widespread, it’s funny how few people have heard of exploding head syndrome. This is a sleep disorder where victims hear very loud noises when either falling asleep or waking up. Some even report accompanying visual disturbances like flashes of bright light. What’s truly fascinating is that one in every ten people reportedly experience this phenomenon. The good news is that, despite the horrifying symptoms, the syndrome is not dangerous and reassurance is often enough to alleviate the resulting anxiety. However, exploding head syndrome has no known cause, although it’s likely due to some type of harmless dysfunction in what is called the reticular formation. This plays a major role in our brain’s ability to process sleep and consciousness.