Some Rarest Diseases That You Have Never Heard

O ne in a million? What are the odds?

Science has made big advances in medicine to tackle some of the deadliest diseases imaginable. But there are still some diseases out there that have left humans completely puzzled. Some of these diseases affect our bodies in ways that are completely unexplained or unusual.

There are many diseases in the world that people are suffering from. Some might be worse than others, but they all are not welcome in any way. Today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 Rarest Conditions and Diseases:

POEMS Syndrome

POEMS is an acronym that stands for Polyneuropathy (affecting many nerves), Organomegaly (abnormal enlargement of an organ), Endocrinopathy (affecting certain hormone-producing glands), Monoclonal gammopathy, and skin defects.

Other names for the disorder include Crow-Fukase Syndrome, Takatsuki syndrome, and PEP Syndrome.

Symptoms:

progressive weakness of the nerves in the arms and legs enlarged liver or spleen darkening of the skin excessive hair growth

Dandy-Walker Malformation

This refers to a brain malformation that occurs during embryonic development of the cerebellum and 4th ventricle. DWM also leads to abnormally high pressure within the skull and swelling of the head, and can lead to neurological impairment.

Symptoms:

developmental delay low muscle tone (hypotonia) or spasticity poor coordination and balance

Vampire Syndrome

Vampire Syndrome doesn't mean you literally turn into a vampire, but the actual disease is still pretty gruesome. Vampire's Disease, or Porphyria, deals with the abnormality in chemicals steps related to red blood cells.

Symptoms:

deformities in the skin

Parry-Romberg Syndrome

The condition is known for skin deformities with part of the skin appearing to shrink or degenerate. The actual cause of the disease is still being debated among scientists. An MRI scan is used to determine if a patient has Parry–Romberg syndrome. It won't always impact all of the patient's skin, just parts of it.

Symptoms:

thinning or shrinkage (atrophy) of the skin Changes in skin color including darkening (hyperpigmentation) or lightening (hypopigmentation) Facial hair may turn white and fall out (alopecia) Facial bone or muscle loss

Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome

Children with this disease end up aging at a rapid pace . Young kids could, in a short period of time, suddenly look like a senior citizen. There are developmental issues relating to slow growth that can occur. There is no cure yet, but doctors are able to use medicine to diminish certain symptoms.

Symptoms:

sudden hair loss hearing loss osteoarthritis

Water Allergy

Out of all of the allergies in the world, it must be problematic to have a water allergy. A water allergy, or Aquagenic urticaria , means that a patient cannot get in contact with water. If they do, they can develop a painful reaction.

This is very difficult to live with, especially considering most of the planet is made out of water. There currently is no cure for this disease.

Symptoms:

erythema, or reddening of the skin burning sensations lesions welts inflammation

Tree Man Syndrome

A condition that turns a person into a "tree man" is never a good thing. Known as Epidermodysplasia verruciformis, this genetic skin disease often results in scaly macules and papules on feet and hands.

People with Tree Man syndrome are often vulnerable to the human papilloma viruses. The good news is that it is very rare and a tiny percentage of people have ever contracted the disease. However, no cure currently exists for patients.

Symptoms:

flat-to-raised, wart-like bumps reddish-brown raised plaques on the trunk, hands, upper and lower extremities, and the face.

Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva (FOP)

Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva, or Stoneman Syndrome , involves a genetic mutation with muscle and bones. Patients who sustain injuries can have their joints become permanently frozen with no movements possible. There are only a couple of hundred cases worldwide of the disease.

It is nicknamed Stoneman syndrome due to bones turning into a stone-like substance. With no current treatment, scientists are trying to research a way to end the disease once and for all.

Symptoms: malformations of the big toe. spontaneous flare-ups of inflammation or soft tissue swelling. increased flare-ups after injury, viral illness, or immunizations. difficulty in moving. frequent injury due to falling.

Kuru Disease

Kuru is an extremely rare disease. With Kuru, an infectious protein causes patients to receive massive neurological damage. Patients might also experience random bursts of laughter . The disease as transmitted when people eat human brains. With less cannibalism in the world, fewer people were able to spread the disease.

This rare neurodegenerative disease originated in the Papa New Guinea Fore tribe.

Symptoms: difficulty in walking poor coordination difficulty in swallowing. slurred speech moodiness and behavioral changes dementia muscle twitching and tremors inability to grasp objects

Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL)

According to the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) , VHL is the leading hereditary cause of kidney cancer. Those affected may develop tumors, mostly benign in up to ten different areas of the body. However, if tumors develop in the kidney and pancreas, the cancer can spread to the rest of the body.

Symptoms:

dangerously high blood pressure What happens when one has a rare disease? Well, there are probably a few people who could relate to the problem. But that's only the tip of the iceberg. This means most of these diseases do not have a cure and that the one suffering from it will likely get stuck with the disease for life .

Some of these rare diseases can make people look odd while some can make them act very weird. These diseases sound fictional , but they are very real. The only reason some have never heard of them is because there have only been a few cases of each disease.