List of diagnoses characterized as pseudoscience explained

There are many proposed diseases and diagnoses that are rejected by mainstream medical consensus and are associated with pseudoscience.

Definition

Pseudoscientific diseases are not defined using objective criteria. Such diseases cannot achieve, and perhaps do not seek, medical recognition. Pseudoscience rejects empirical methodology.[1]

Other conditions may be rejected or contested by orthodox medicine, but are not necessarily associated with pseudoscience. Diagnostic criteria for some of these conditions may be vague, over-inclusive, or otherwise ill-defined. Although the evidence for the disease may be contested or lacking, the justification for these diagnoses is nevertheless empirical and therefore amenable to scientific investigation, at least in theory.

In some cases, patients are exhibiting genuine signs and symptoms but the explanation or diagnosis for their distress is disputed or inaccurate.

Examples of conditions that are not necessarily pseudoscientific include:

Medical

Psychological

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Coker . Rory . Distinguishing Science from Pseudoscience . utexas.edu . 26 July 2018.
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  3. Berger . M Y . Gieteling . M J . Benninga . M A . Chronic abdominal pain in children . BMJ . 334 . 7601 . 2007 . 997–1002 . 0959-8138 . 10.1136/bmj.39189.465718.BE . 17494020 . 1867894.
  4. Shah R, Greenberger PA . 2012 . Unproved and controversial methods and theories in allergy-immunology . Allergy Asthma Proc. . 33 Suppl 1 . 3 . S100–2 . 10.2500/aap.2012.33.3562 . 22794702. Quote: "There is no scientific basis for the existence of this disorder and no conclusive method for diagnosis."
  5. Web site: Fatigued by a Fake Disease . . October 28, 2010 . March 12, 2015 . Gavura, Scott.
  6. Web site: Adrenal Fatigue: Is It Real? . WebMD . Metcalf, Eric . 2014-03-19.
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  22. Röösli . Martin . Moser . Mirjana . Baldinini . Yvonne . Meier . Martin . Braun-Fahrländer . Charlotte . Symptoms of ill health ascribed to electromagnetic field exposure – a questionnaire survey . International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health . 207 . 2 . 2004 . 141–150 . 1438-4639 . 10.1078/1438-4639-00269 . 15031956. 2004IJHEH.207..141R .
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  25. Web site: Electromagnetic fields and public health . 17 November 2007 . https://web.archive.org/web/20071116024800/http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs296/en/index.html . 16 November 2007.
  26. Web site: Garcia-Roberts . Gus . 2010-07-15 . Is excited delirium killing coked-up, stun-gunned Miamians? . 2021-04-18 . Miami New Times.
  27. News: Shock Tactics: Taser inserts itself in probes involving its stun guns . en . 2021-05-08.
  28. Book: Kalichman, Seth C. . Denying AIDS: Conspiracy Theories, Pseudoscience, and Human Tragedy . 16 January 2009 . Springer . 978-0-387-79476-1 . 167.
  29. Web site: Leaky gut syndrome . 9 April 2013 . . 24 October 2013.
  30. Vulink . NC . Delusional Infestation: State of the Art. . Acta Dermato-Venereologica . August 23, 2016 . 96 . 217 . 58–63 . 10.2340/00015555-2412 . 27282746 . free.
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  34. News: Under their skin: the Morgellons mystery . . Melissa . Fyfe . 31 July 2015 . 4 July 2018.
  35. Web site: Scott . Gavura . 2014-11-06 . Naturopathy vs. Science: Fake Diseases . 2024-05-26 . . en-US.
  36. Genuis . Stephen J. . May 2013 . Chemical Sensitivity: Pathophysiology or Pathopsychology? . Clinical Therapeutics . Review . 35 . 5 . 572–577 . 10.1016/j.clinthera.2013.04.003 . 0149-2918 . 23642291.
  37. Web site: Gavura . Scott . 3 July 2014 . Multiple Chemical Sensitivity: Separating facts from fiction . 14 December 2019 . . SBM-Gavura.
  38. 10.1615/CritRevNeurobiol.v13.i3.30 . 10803638 . Multiple Chemical Sensitivity: Potential Role for Neural Sensitization . Critical Reviews in Neurobiology . 13 . 3 . 283–316 . 1999 . Sorg . Barbara A..
  39. Web site: Rope Worms: C'est la Merde . 27 May 2014 . Science-Based Medicine . en-US . 9 January 2019 . Harriet Hall . Harriet Hall.
  40. Hawkes . David . Benhamu . Joanne . Sidwell . Tom . Miles . Rhianna . Dunlop . Rachael A. . May 2015 . Revisiting adverse reactions to vaccines: A critical appraisal of Autoimmune Syndrome Induced by Adjuvants (ASIA) . Journal of Autoimmunity . 59 . 77–84 . 10.1016/j.jaut.2015.02.005 . 1095-9157 . 25794485.
  41. Ameratunga . Rohan . Gillis . David . Gold . Michael . Linneberg . Allan . Elwood . J. Mark . November 2017 . Evidence Refuting the Existence of autoimmune/Autoinflammatory Syndrome Induced by Adjuvants (ASIA) . The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. In Practice . 5 . 6 . 1551–1555.e1 . 10.1016/j.jaip.2017.06.033 . 2213-2201 . 28888842.
  42. Ameratunga . Rohan . Langguth . Daman . Hawkes . David . May 2018 . Perspective: Scientific and ethical concerns pertaining to animal models of autoimmune/autoinflammatory syndrome induced by adjuvants (ASIA) . Autoimmunity Reviews . 17 . 5 . 435–439 . 10.1016/j.autrev.2017.11.033 . 1873-0183 . 29526635.
  43. Full of Holes: the curious case of acupuncture . Scientific American . July 2005 . Michael . Shermer . Michael Shermer . 293 . 2 . 30 . 10.1038/scientificamerican0805-30 . 2005SciAm.293b..30S . 16053133.
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  45. News: Hurst L . Vaccine phobia runs deep . Toronto Star . 2009-10-30 . 2009-11-04.
  46. Gerber JS, Offit PA . Vaccines and Autism: A Tale of Shifting Hypotheses . Clin Infect Dis . 48 . 4 . 456–461 . 2009 . 19128068 . 2908388 . 10.1086/596476.
  47. Web site: Chiropractic Vertebral Subluxations: Science vs. Pseudoscience . Science-Based Medicine . 1 October 2010 . 4 July 2018 . Sam . Homola.
  48. Homola . Samuel . Real orthopaedic subluxations versus imaginary chiropractic subluxations . Focus on Alternative and Complementary Therapies . 15 . 4 . 2010 . 284–287 . 1465-3753 . 10.1111/j.2042-7166.2010.01053.x.
  49. Web site: . Todd . Nippoldt . Is Wilson's syndrome a legitimate ailment? . November 21, 2009 . April 9, 2010 .
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  51. The Link between Health Complaints and Wind Turbines: Support for the Nocebo Expectations Hypothesis . Crighton, F. . etal . Frontiers in Public Health . November 2014 . 2 . 220 . 220 . 4227478 . 25426482 . 10.3389/fpubh.2014.00220 . free.
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  79. Web site: The Relationship Between Stockholm Syndrome and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Battered Women - Inquiries Journal . 2022-11-06 . www.inquiriesjournal.com.