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Living with Medical Mystery Symptoms
By Verria Kelly, the Good Health Coach
Are you or a loved one experiencing medical mystery symptoms? If you're experiencing mystery symptoms that elude medical diagnosis, you're not alone. Several illnesses present vague, varied symptoms that are difficult to diagnose. Living with mystery symptoms can be frustrating and exhausting. Your body is trying to tell you that something is amiss, but nobody seems to be able to help! That's where I come in. As your good health coach, I can help you solve the mystery of your symptoms and find a healthcare  practitioner who can help. In this article, we'll look at some medical conditions that commonly elude diagnosis, and I'll offer advice on how to overcome your medical mystery symptoms.
Morgellons Mystery Symptoms
Not many people have heard of Morgellons disease. Symptoms include an itching, crawling sensation on the skin, rashes, connective tissue pain, and – most bizarrely – fiber-like filaments that grow out of the skin. As you can well imagine, most people who reported symptoms of Morgellons were basically told that they were crazy. The Centers for Disease Control didn't acknowledge Morgellons until 2007, and the mysterious disease is still mired in controversy. Some doctors still think it's a mental health problem; however, lab results show that the skin fibers are indeed real and not mad-made. I wanted to included Morgellons disease in this article to show that the body is capable or producing some very strange symptoms – and even if you're doctor tells you that it's all in your head, you know when something is wrong with your body. You know your body better than anyone. We'll examine a possible cause of Morgellons later in the article.
Lupus Mystery Symptoms
Lupus can be one of the most difficult diseases to diagnose. It is an autoimmune disease, which means that the immune system turns on the body. In the case of lupus, the immune system primarily attacks the connective tissue and may cause chronic inflammation in the joints, skin, kidneys, blood cells, heart, and lungs. No two cases of lupus are alike, which is one reason why it's often difficult to diagnose. Symptoms may develop slowly or strike suddenly and severely. Symptoms of lupus may include fatigue, fever, weight loss or gain, joint pain and swelling, rash, skin lesions, mouth sores, hair loss, shortness of breath, chest pain, dry eyes, easy bruising, memory loss, anxiety, and depression. Several other conditions cause similar symptoms.
Food Allergy & Food Sensitivity Mystery Symptom
Allergy is an autoimmune disease, too. In the case of allergy, the body attacks a normally harmless substance, such as pollen or a certain food protein, and this leads to inflammation. Environmental allergies lead to symptoms like itchy eyes, runny nose, and congestion. Food allergies often produce more severe symptoms like hives and difficulty breathing. Food allergies can be fatal, so it's important to get tested if you think you may have a severe food allergy.
Food sensitivities, or delayed food allergies, on the other hand, are more difficult to diagnose because they do not produce immediate symptoms. Delayed food allergies may produce symptoms days after the offending food is ingested. Common symptoms include digestive problems, asthma, fatigue, depression, and other mental or behavioral problems. If you suspect that you may have a food sensitivity, you can test the hypothesis by avoiding certain foods, one at a time for at least a couple of weeks at a time, and keeping a food journal.
Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Mystery Symptoms
Believe it or not, some doctors are still not convinced that multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) is a real condition. Some doctors think that it's all in the head of the patient – a psychological problem. Today most doctors agree that various chemicals can produce allergic-like reactions among some people. MCS may cause allergy-like symptoms as well as headaches, fatigue, and a host of other problems. If you suffer from MCS, find out what triggers your symptoms, and avoid those substances.
Candidiasis Mystery Symptoms
People who suffer from multiple food sensitivities and chemical sensitivities often suffer from candidiasis. Candida are yeast-like organisms that life in the digestive tract. The beneficial bacteria in the digestive tract normally keep candida numbers in the normal range; however, when the bacteria die off – through illness or medication use, for instance – then the candida can grow out of control. This out-of-control growth can lead to increased intestinal permeability, which allows small food particles and other substances to escape from the digestive system. Over time, the immune system will begin to attack these particles, resulting in inflammation. Symptoms of candidiasis include digestive problems, frequent yeast infections, fatigue, and chronic illness. A detox diet combined with probiotics will normally clear up candidiasis.
Rheumatoid Arthritis Mystery Symptoms
Rheumatoid arthritis is yet another autoimmune disorder in which the immune system attacks joints. RA can literally eat away major joints such as knees and hips if it's not diagnosed and treated soon enough. Symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis include joint pain and swelling.
Fibromyalgia Mystery Symptoms
Fibromyalgia is a relatively new condition – or, at least the term is new. It's characterized by chronic widespread pain in muscle and connective tissue. Before fibromyalgia was widely accepted in the medical community, those who suffered from it were often told that the pain was all in their head – because medical testing did not show any disease. Besides the pain, symptoms of fibromyalgia may include headaches, memory impairment, anxiety, depression, twitching, weight gain, multiple chemical sensitivity, and joint stiffness.
Heavy Metal Toxicity Mystery Symptoms
Heavy metal toxicity refers to the buildup of toxic heavy metals like lead and mercury in the body. Symptoms vary greatly but may include diarrhea, fatigue, paralysis, hypertension, weight loss or gain, headache, depression, confusion, and anxiety.
Hypothyroidism Mystery Symptoms
Hypothyroidism means that the body doesn't produce enough thyroid hormone. Symptoms of hypothyroidism include fatigue, weakness, weight gain, dry skin, hair loss, muscle cramps, constipation, depression, abnormal menstrual cycles, and memory loss. (Hyperthyroidism, on the other hand, refers to an excess of thyroid hormone and may cause weight loss, anxiety, and heart palpitations, among other symptoms.)
Lyme Disease Mystery Symptoms
Lyme disease is caused by certain types of bacteria, and it can cause all sorts of mystery symptoms, including flu-like symptoms, headache, fatigue, memory loss, depression, and various nervous system problems. The bacteria that cause lyme disease are transferred to humans through tick bites. It can be fatal if not caught soon enough. People who have lyme disease are more likely to suffer from fibromyalgia and depression – and some researchers hypothesize that the bacteria which cause lyme disease also cause Morgellons disease. Be sure to wear long pants when you go on nature hikes! (I wouldn't recommend dousing yourself in poisonous pesticides, but you can find non-toxic tick repellants.)
Environmental Factors & Lifestyle Factors
You may have noticed that several of the symptoms listed above are similar for the different conditions. That's one reason why diagnosis can be difficult! Furthermore, people commonly suffer from more than one illness at the same time, and symptoms can overlap.
Remember, a symptom is a sign of illness; it's not the cause of the illness. A symptom pops up when your body is trying to tell you that something is wrong. Symptoms, then, are not the enemy; in fact, symptoms are very useful. You must be aware of your symptoms and listen to your body in order to discover the underlying cause of your illness.
Symptoms are often similar across different illnesses because the root causes of the illnesses are often similar. Most chronic diseases in our modern world are caused by poor diet, lack of exercise, and/or exposure to toxins. The body has an amazing ability to filter out toxic substances and fight infections, but it can only handle so much at a time, especially if you're not properly taking care of yourself. Once the immune system reaches its toxic threshold, symptoms will appear. Your body will cry for help. If your body could talk, nine times out of ten, it would probably say, "Stop polluting me!"
As your good health coach, I will help you learn how to listen to your body. We'll examine your environment and your lifestyle to look for contributing factors. For instance, chronic eczema could be caused by a dust mite allergy, a food allergy, or a chemical sensitivity – or it could be a sign of heavy metal toxicity or another illness. Together we'll examine your symptoms, your environment, and your lifestyle to discover the root cause of your mystery symptoms.
Read more articles or view my tip sheets.
Or, download my free ebook Undiagnosed: Living with Mystery Symptoms to learn more.
About the Author: This article was written by Verria Kelly, the Good Health Coach. Verria has over 15 years of experience battling mystery symptoms, misdiagnosis and chronic illness. Verria helps those that are frustrated with health challenges take control of their health and regain freedom in their lives. Her web site is a comprehensive resource with free articles and valuable information for those suffering from mystery symptoms, misdiagnosis, chronic illnesses or those that are simply sick and tired of being sick and tired. Visit her web site at http://www.goodhealthcoach.com , or email her at verria.kelly@goodhealthcoach.com
Living with Medical Mystery Symptoms © Verria Kelly 2009. All rights reserved.
Author's note: You're welcome to use this article as content for your own ezine or web site! Just make sure that the article remains complete and unaltered (including the "About the author" info and copyright line at the end), and that you send a copy of your reprint to verria.kelly@goodhealthcoach.com.
 
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