The following conditions are notoriously Difficult to Identify.
Lyme disease
You probably know to
look out for tick bites and the telltale bullseye rash that can form around
them if a person is infected with Lyme disease. But not everyone develops this
rash -- and Lyme disease's other symptoms (like fatigue, headaches, joint pain,
and flu-like symptoms) can easily be confused for other conditions, says
Shapiro.
A blood test can
check for Lyme disease antibodies in the blood, but those usually don't show up
until a few weeks after infection and the test is notoriously unreliable. It's
important to remove the tick immediately and see a doctor right away. Quickly
removing a tick can possibly prevent the transfer of dangerous bacteria, and
antibiotics for Lyme disease are most effective when given immediately.
Lupus
The
most distinctive sign of lupus -- another chronic inflammatory disease -- is a
butterfly-shaped rash across a patient's cheeks, but that's not present in all
cases. Lupus can affect the joints, kidneys, brain, skin, and lungs, and can also
mimic many different issues.
There
is no one way to diagnose lupus, but blood and urine tests, along with a
complete physical exam, are usually involved. Treatment also depends on a
patient's individual signs and symptoms, and medications and dosages may need
to be adjusted as the disease flares and subsides.
Polycystic
ovary syndrome
Irregular
periods, unexplained weight gain, and difficulty getting pregnant can all be
symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a hormonal disorder affecting
women of reproductive age. Many women with this condition also have enlarged
ovaries with numerous small cysts, but not everyone with PCOS has these
enlarged ovaries, and not everyone with enlarged ovaries has PCOS.
To
be diagnosed with PCOS, a woman must also be experiencing infrequent or
prolonged periods or have elevated levels of male hormones, called androgens,
in her blood. Androgen excess may cause abnormal hair growth on the face and
body, but women of certain ethnic backgrounds (like Northern European and
Asian) may not show physical signs.
Appendicitis
You
might think that an inflamed or burst appendix should be easy to identify, and
often, it is: typical appendicitis symptoms include nausea, pain and tenderness
around the belly button, and possibly a low-grade fever. But not always.
Some
people have an appendix that points backward instead of forward in the body, so
the symptoms present in a different location," says Dr. Eugene Shapiro,
deputy director of the Investigative Medicine Program at Yale University."And
sometimes people do have pain, but then the appendix ruptures and the pain is
relieved so they think they're fine."
Endometriosis
Many
perfectly healthy women deal with menstrual pain and discomfort, so it's not
surprising that endometriosis is often misdiagnosed. However, women with
endometriosis (in which uterine tissue grows outside the uterus) often report
pelvic pain, cramping, and heavy bleeding that's far worse than usual, and that
gets worse over time. A pelvic exam can sometimes detect endometrial tissue or
cysts that have been caused by it. In other cases, an ultrasound or laparoscopy
is required for a definite diagnosis.
In
this case, he says, intestinal fluids can seep into the abdominal cavity and
cause a potentially life-threatening infection -- but it can take days or even
weeks before these symptoms appear.
