10 bizarre medical conditions

"The human body is a complex machine in which the cogs sometimes break down, leading to unusual ailments and behaviours - so much so that they baffle both the patient and the doctor.
We've complied a list of 10 very real, but unusual conditions below.

Allergic to sex

Around 100 women in the UK have human seminal plasma hypersensitivity i.e. they are allergic to their partner’s semen, the fluid which carries sperm.
This is because semen carries a number of proteins which can trigger an allergic reaction in susceptible women.
Signs of a semen allergy usually include redness, burning and swelling soon after sex, wherever the semen has come into contact with the skin. This can be avoided by the man wearing a condom.
However, if the couple want to start a family, sometimes the man’s sperm can be washed to rid it of semen, and the woman is impregnated artificially.

Fear of clowns

They can be riotously funny, mildly amusing, or just dull, but who would actually be afraid of a clown?

Well, some people have what is called coulrophobia, or fear of clowns. Watching the grinning circus performers can lead to breathlessness, trembling, increased heartbeat, dizziness and a slew of other symptoms related to anxiety.

As with many phobias, an early childhood experience may be behind the adult phobia. Contrary to popular opinion, many children don’t (whisper it) like clowns.

A study carried out by the University of Sheffield concluded that clowns were “universally disliked by children,” and their images should not be used in decorating children's wards in hospitals.

Speaking of clowns, actor Johnny Depp once said: "There always seemed to be a darkness lurking just under the surface, a potential for real evil.

"I guess I am afraid of them because it's impossible — thanks to their painted-on smiles — to distinguish if they are happy or if they're about to bite your face off.''

Constantly sea sick

Many people experience the feeling of still being at sea even after stepping off a boat. This usually lasts only a few minutes, but if you have Mal de Debarquement Syndrome (MdDS), the sensation can persist for days, weeks or even years.

MdDS is more common in women than men and often occurs in people in their forties and fifties. The symptoms triggered after travelling on a boat or plane include the sensation of rocking, swaying, floating or tumbling. Strangely, the symptoms may disappear completely when the person is on the move, in a moving car or train.

The cause of this debilitating condition is a mystery, and treatment usually involves advice on how to cope with the symptoms.

Pica

Most pregnant women experience food cravings during pregnancy, but some also crave substances other than food such as dirt, coal, chalk or paper - items without nutritional value.
Although it’s often said that pica cravings are the body’s response to replenishing deficient vitamins and minerals, the reason for pica cravings is unknown.
Some people have a craving to chew ice, which is often associated with iron deficient anaemia, though doing so has no nutritional value.

White coat syndrome

Unless it is managed, high blood pressure can be a real killer, which is why we are forever reminding you to visit you GP to get it measured.
But for some people, the mere presence of a doctor can cause their blood pressure to rise, which is known as white coat syndrome.
Around one in three people with mildly raised blood pressure will find it returns to a normal level once they leave the GPs surgery.

Foreign accent syndrome

This most unlikely condition occurs when, following a brain injury or trauma, the person starts speaking in what appears to be a foreign accent - in one instance, a woman from Newcastle with a Geordie accent started speaking with what sounded like a Jamaican accent.
This is a very rare condition, with just 60 cases recorded in the last 70 years. Doctors believe it is caused when small areas of the brain linked with language, pitch and speech patters are damaged. As a consequence, the person suffering from the syndrome may draw out or clip vowels, which gives the impression they are speaking in a foreign accent.
Indeed, recent evidence suggests that the foreign accent syndrome is a mechanical issue, as it is tied to the cerebellum, which controls motor function.

Stendhal syndrome

Have you ever been overwhelmed by the beauty of a work of art, and became giddy and confused, your heart racing?
If you did, you might have experienced Stendhal syndrome, a condition that occurs in some individuals when they are exposed to art of overwhelming beauty, like Michelangelo's David.
An early victim, after whom the condition is named, was the French novelist Stendhal, who suffered an attack when visiting the museums of the Tuscan capital.
While there is debate in the medical community about whether the condition really exists, some sufferers actually require treatment in hospital.

Trimethylaminuria

This condition, also known as fish odour syndrome, is a metabolic disorder which causes the sufferer to give off a strong, often fishy odour.
It is caused by the body's inability to break down a compound called trimethylamine, which then builds up and is released in sweat, urine and breath.
Those affected by this rare disorder carry no other physical symptoms and are otherwise healthy. It appears to be a heritable condition.
While no treatment exists, those affected can reduce the fishy odour by avoiding certain foods such as eggs, legumes, fish, meats, or by taking antibiotics.

Dr Strangelove syndrome

Named after the cult comedy's sinister scientist, who is affected by this condition, it manifests itself when a person's hand appears to develop a mind of its own, performing even complex tasks of its own accord. For this reason it is also known as the alien hand syndrome.
It is a consequence of an rare neurological disorder which occurs when the two hemispheres of the brain are separated surgically to relieve extreme epilepsy cases, though it can also occur after a stroke or brain surgery.
Those affected have sensation in their arm or leg, but are generally unaware of what the limb is doing, unless it does something that draws attention.
While there is no treatment for this condition, the hand can be distracted by giving it something to hold.

Delusional parasitosis

Do you ever get those tingling pins and needles in your limbs?
Well, some who experience a variation of this sensation become convinced that bugs or insects are crawling under their skin, though no such thing is happening.
This is a delusional condition which sometimes leads those who suffer from it to injure themselves in an attempt to remove the bugs.
Those affected use the sensation - also known as formication - to confirm the belief that bugs are crawling under their skin.
This condition is a form of psychosis, and while those who suffer from it generally deny they are delusional, anti-psychotic medication may be effective in treating the condition."