There is a whole plethora of painful and uncomfortable physical conditions out there, but elephantiasis is definitely one of the worst.
A symptom of various diseases, it causes a person's body parts such as their legs, arms, or even genitals to swell to extreme proportions.
Lymphatic filariasis, or elephantiasis tropica, is most common in Africa and Asia, where infected mosquitoes spread parasitic worms called filarial nematodes through their bites.
Elephantiasis nostras is similar to lymphatic filariasis, but it is caused by chronic lymphedema instead of worms. This means that the lymphatic system cannot properly drain fluids, resulting in excessive swelling and wart-like areas on the lower legs or scrotum.
The worms then make their way to the lymphatic system, where they can cause blockages that result in fluid retention and massive tissue swelling.
If it isn't treated with antibiotics, compression, and elevation, it can lead to a lot of pain and even immobility.
Perhaps the most well-known disease associated with elephantiasis is Proteus syndrome, the genetic disorder that Joseph Merrick, or the "Elephant Man," lived with.
It is a rare genetic mutation that causes skin overgrowth, unusual bone development, and tumors covering over half of a person's body. The large, heavy limbs can lead to early death, arthritis, and of course, difficultly interacting with other people.
