Names are given to newly-defined diseases, conditions, syndromes and disorders on a regular basis, using a variety of approaches, including these and others:
They may be named after the doctor or scientist who defines them, or who writes the diagnostic guidelines, like Alzheimers , Parkinsons or Cushings.
They may be named using the symptoms they represent, like Multiple Sclerosis or Muscular Dystrophy.
They may be named for the part of the body they affect, like coronary artery disease
Or the geographic region they are identified with, like Lyme Disease, or for their affect on the body, like Sickle Cell Disease.
Sometimes they are named simply because a drug company can make money from an old drug if they can suggest it as a treatment for a new, made up disease. (Learn more about this "disease mongering" and find a list of the made up names.)
A "new" diagnosis can both help, and create problems for patients. It would seem that finally naming a diagnosis would create treatment opportunities - a real plus. But there are a number of reasons a new name for a diagnosis won't be of much help at all.
Here is a list of newly named diagnoses for diseases and conditions, plus links for more information where available.
If you are familiar with a new diagnosis (named in the past 20-30 years) that is not listed here, please add it to this list.
AutoImmune Diseases
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Learn more about Chronic Fatigue Syndrome from About.com's Guide
- Fibromyalgia: Learn more about Fibromyalgia from About.com's Guide
Genetic Disease
- Velo-Cardio-Facial Syndrome: Learn more from the NIH about Velo-Cardio-Facial Syndrome
Infectious Diseases
- Lyme or other tick diseases including Heartland Virus: Learn more about these tick-related diseases, and the controversies that surround them.
- AIDS and HIV: Learn more from About.com's Guide to AIDS and HIV
- Swine Flu, Avian Flu: Flus that transmit from animals to humans, plus many seasonal flus, may be new. Learn more about swine flu (H1N1) as it appeared in 2009 - 2012, avian and other bird flus, and seasonal flu which doesn't have a new name each year, but is usually comprised of a new combination of viruses.
Cancers
- Inflammatory Breast Cancer: Learn more from About.com's Guide to Inflammatory Breast Cancer
- Subcutaneous Panniculitis-Like T-Cell Lymphoma (this was my misdiagnosis that started me on my patient empowerment journey)
- S-POP Mutations (a subset of prostate cancer): Learn more from the medical journal, Nature.
Mental Health Diagnoses
- PTSD - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: like many other diseases, the symptoms of PTSD have been described for centuries, but this disorder was not named until the 1970s. Learn more from the PTSD Guide at About.com
- Premenstrual dysphoric disorder: Learn more about Premenstrual dysphoric disorder from About.com's guide to PMS
- Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder: DMDD is described by many as a way mental health professionals describe a child's temper tantrum. It is included in DSM5, the new diagnostic manual for mental health disorders. Learn more about disruptive mood dysregulation from PsychCentral.
Miscellaneous Diseases and Conditions
- Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: Learn more about Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease from About.com's Guide to Longevity
- Restless Legs Syndrome: While some doctors believe RLS was invented by pharmaceutical companies to sell more drugs, this diagnosis is recognized and documented by the NIH. Learn more about RLS from the About.com Guide to Sleep Disorders.
- Gulf War Illness: Learn more from the Veteran's Administration
- COPD: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease is a newer name for a group of previously identified conditions, bronchitis and emphysema, which often appear together. Learn more about COPD from About.com's Guide
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If you are familiar with a new diagnosis (named in the past 20-30 years) that is not listed here, please add it to this list.
