The Mysterious Sickness Recognized As Morgellons

By: Becca G Taylor


Human beings are complex, from our social interaction to our physical function, we defy simple or complete description or understanding. The science of medicine has been hard at work for centuries and still we do not know what causes some of the most prevalent afflictions, even those that are fatal. It is not due to a lack of desire, it is more that like the causes for the symptoms of those who suffer from Morgellons, there are some things we simply do not know.

Unique to this affliction, appearing as it has in the era of the internet and rapid communication, those who similarly suffer have been able to find one another rapidly and work in unison to gain the governments attention. This is important because medical focus on existing disease process is loath to lend resources to a yet undetermined problem because funding is so tight. In addition, each new malady identified is another exposition of how much we do not know.


While the scientific community is loath to accept that there may be a completely new affliction with an as yet unpredictable and difficult to assess disease process, the number of admitted sufferers grows. They individuals who have explained their affliction were smart enough to get their concerns heard by government officials which helps to keep energy focused on researching the illness with the goal of identifying the causative agent and then some type of treatment.

The compelling and disturbing symptom which seems central to those who have it is formally known as formication, this is the sensation that there are living entities beneath the skin that are moving, even stinging or biting the sufferer. Examination of individuals with the complaint, however, have revealed no identifiable life form within the skin as is the case with numerous known parasites.

One of the reasons there is so little progress in the research on this affliction is that early on the malady was associated with a psychiatric disorder. Those who claimed to be sufferers were assumed to have a condition known as delusional parasitosis, the belief they are afflicted with parasite when none are present. Worse, some are accused of creating symptoms in themselves or other purely to attraction attention.

The reality of the ailment is not suspect or inconclusive to those who suffer its effects. Just as with all other medical advancements, there was a periods of time before the answer was revealed during which causality was indeterminate. From centuries ago to as recently as legionnaires disease, the process repeats itself, medical science being slow to accept the idea that new problems, like Morgellons are likely to plague mankind for as long as we roam the earth.