Comments on: Best Name For A Disease?

By: Bjorn M

Bjorn M — Wed, 26 May 2010 21:00:42 +0000

These are of course essential on any list dealing with silly medical words:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pseudopseudohypoparathyroidism

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis

By: Michael Burkley

Michael Burkley — Wed, 26 May 2010 17:55:12 +0000

My favorite is “Pityriasis rosea” which is Latin (so I’ve been told) for “Little Red Dots.” I would say, “Little -itchy- Red Dots” from personal experience….

By: Laura

Laura — Wed, 26 May 2010 13:59:22 +0000

Maple Syrup Urine Disease!

By: Mitch Harden

Mitch Harden — Wed, 26 May 2010 12:16:45 +0000

I have always liked "Autosomal Cholinergic Helio-Ophtalmologic Outburst (ACHOO)" but it seems to go by Photic sneeze reflex anymore. [CZ: Again, not made up.]

By: ListOfFigures

ListOfFigures — Wed, 26 May 2010 07:50:28 +0000

now, that’s easy

Exploding head syndrome

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exploding_head_syndrome

By: Hawks

Hawks — Wed, 26 May 2010 03:06:25 +0000

I’ve always been fond of FITH – F***** In The Head – something doctors sometimes diagnose their patients as having.

By: Chris Patriquin

Chris Patriquin — Wed, 26 May 2010 01:17:29 +0000

Jumping Frenchman Disorder (aka. Jumping Frenchman of Maine) [CZ: I really thought you were making that up. Nope...]

By: gribley

gribley — Tue, 25 May 2010 20:39:06 +0000

One I stumbled across long ago while doing occupational injury work: Rat bite fever. It’s not sure if it’s a disease or a dance craze!

By: Darwin's Beagle

Darwin's Beagle — Tue, 25 May 2010 20:20:11 +0000

I'm particularly fond of Mucus Fishing Syndrome

By: Chris the Canadian

Chris the Canadian — Tue, 25 May 2010 19:25:53 +0000

Cooooookamungaphobia!!!!

By: Bob O'H

Bob O'H — Tue, 25 May 2010 17:36:00 +0000

If you include plant diseases, then there’s a lot of smut about.

By: Jared Wasser

Jared Wasser — Tue, 25 May 2010 17:15:14 +0000

Tumorsyphilisitisosis… (thank you, Family Guy).

In reality, I’m going to have to go with “happy puppet” syndrome (Angelman’s syndrome). As a medical student, I find the thought of having to tell a poor mother that her child has “happy puppet” syndrome both sad and admittedly hilarious. I am, of course, not laughing at the disease, but at the strange choice of a name.