Morgellons, also called Morgellons disease or Morgellons syndrome disease also known as simply “Morgellons” is a medical condition where the infected has the sensation of something creeping underneath their skin and the feeling of being bitten.
To skeptics this is known as formication however to Morgellons patients this skin disease is very real and not a figment of their imagination or any kind a result of drug/alcohol abuse.
Besides the sensations underneath their skin, the inflicted will suffer from persistent itchy sores and rashes all over the skin and from time to time develop multicolored (blue, black or red) fiber like protrusions within their sores and the surrounding skin.
Morgellons Multicolored Fibers
As much as Morgellons disease is seen as an enigma as a whole by the medical community its reported symptoms are equally mysteries in nature, in particular the Morgellons fibers. The fibers are characteristically described as tiny fibers, threads or black stringy material protruding from the open lesions. They are often described by affected individuals as white colored, however also reported are blue, green, red, and black fibers, which fluoresce when looked at under ultraviolet light.
In addition to the multicolored fibers, objects referred to as “granules”, very similar in size/shape to grains of sand are frequently reported by affected individuals. Sufferers report observing dark colored specks/dots on or within their skin, in addition to bizarre multicolored “fuzz balls” both within their sores and upon the affected skin.
There are many conflicting statements being made about the alleged Morgellons fibers themselves. For the afflicted the fibers are a very real sign and symptom of Morgellons disease and for the skeptics it is merely of textile origins and not a true manifestation of the disease. The majority of health care professionals doesn’t acknowledge Morgellons as a real disease or are reserving judgment until more is known about the illness.
Various Hypotheses regarding the fibers
Randy Wymore, a former research director of the MRF and presently director of the Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences’ Center for the Investigation of Morgellons Disease, claims that Morgellons patients have submitted masses of dark fibers visible at 60x magnification under the unbroken skin, while unaffected individuals do not. Wymore sent samples of fibers, none of which was collected by biopsy, to the Police Crime Lab in Tulsa, Oklahoma, for analysis. A forensic scientist at the Tulsa Police Crime Lab in Oklahoma searched the FBI’s national database, but the Morgellons sample did not match any known fiber in the database. Lab director Mark Boese said the fibers were “consistent with something that the body may be producing,” adding, “These fibers cannot be manmade and do not come from a plant. This could be a byproduct of a biological organism.”
Conversely, in Wymore’s further studies of the fibers; none of the samples he has sent to the laboratory have been unusual. Laboratory results have included nylon, cotton, human hair, a fungal fiber and a rodent hair. Dermatologists say many fibers are from clothing embedded in self-imposed sores and the fibers patients bring in bags are textile in nature. The fibers may also be peripheral nerve endings.
There are tons of other theories regarding the fibers and what they are and their purpose. Some of the more prevalent are the fibers are manmade and are some type of Nano technology set upon man.
Some people believe they originate from Chemtrails dropped upon us from above. Others believe the fibers are some type of tracking devices. For the most part, all of these originate from the conspiracy crowd. Even more eccentric, there are those who believe these fibers are from alien origins. They believe that the fibers may have arrived on earth from space on something like an asteroid or because of direct alien life intervention.
Morgellons Disease Symptoms
The symptoms of Morgellons disease can be stressful and overwhelming to say the least. Some of the most common symptoms include:
Stinging and crawling Sensations
A person suffering from Morgellons infection experiences electrical nerve tingling, pin-pricks, stinging, and crawling sensations on their skin’s surface or underneath. These symptoms are sometimes referred to as Formication. The patient experiences sensations that feel like bugs stinging, biting, or moving. These sensations may not only be located on the general skin area, but might also be felt on the ear canal, scalp, and hair or body follicles. At times, the sensations may be linked to the presence of arthropods or easily seen insects, and non-human or human associated parasites. However, most mainstream medical practitioners often diagnose Morgellons disease as delusional parasitosis when there are no evident signs of medically known bugs.
These are seen as the typical representation of the disease. They can be slow or spontaneously appearing, non-healing lesions. They are often very painful and accompanied by a severe itch. The lesions may begin as pimples without a white core, develop into open wounds that do not fully heal, and later turn into crusty or gelatinous discharges that are discolored.
Patients who suffer from Morgellons also experience severe fatigue. This fatigue may interfere with their normal day-to-day activities and result in emotional changes such as depression, mood swings, and loss of libido.
Changes in Behavior
Morgellons also causes changes in behavior. These changes in behavior are often diagnosed as Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Attention Deficit Disorder, or Bipolar Disorder.
Neurological and Cognitive Difficulties
Headaches, ‘brain fog,’ and cognitive difficulties are very common symptoms of Morgellons. Other symptoms include measurable attention deficit and short-term memory, and difficulty in speaking correctly or processing thoughts.
The illness is oftentimes referred to as the fiber disease due to this common symptom. Most patients who have this disease often report having “Morgellons fibers” that look like fuzz, threads, or hair coming out of their skin lesions. Some doctors have observed these fibers emerging from the skin leaving behind disfigured lesions. These fibers can be black, white, green, blue, red in color and shine when placed under ultraviolet light.
Dots, Granules, and Specks
Objects that look like granules have occasionally been removed from intact or broken skin. Patients have also reported seeing black dots and specks in their lesions or intact skin.
Changes in Skin Texture and Pigment
Some patients report severe changes in their skin texture and pigment. Their skin might have an irregular texture and hyper pigmentation pattern and may be thinned or thickened. These changes usually resemble skin damage associated with sun exposure.
While dermatologists and medical practitioners often diagnose Morgellons disease as delusional parasitosis, it is important for patients to undergo biopsy or microscopic examination of lesions to determine what they’re suffering from. This will help to determine whether the condition is indeed Morgellons or another condition. Most people who suffer from Morgellons disease opt to seek help from alternative care providers as they feel abandoned by the mainstream medical care system. While this condition is still a matter of contention between medical practitioners, all patients deserve compassionate and quality treatment.
Blue Skin Disorder
Morgellons sufferers from the very beginning have felt like they have been ignored by mainstream science and the medical community alike. Whenever a large group of people feel like they are being ignored and need help, sooner or later they will reach out to each other one way or the other. For the majority of people who suffer from Morgellons syndrome have found help and solace through the Internet. One simple search on Google or Bing for Morgellons will reveal countless websites and Morgellons forums dedicated to help and console.
However with this type of self-help and medication there will be times when people make mistakes and follow ill-advised advice purely based on a stranger’s recommendation. There have been plenty of rumors and accounts of Morgellons sufferers practicing and following extreme and at times very dangerous treatment protocols. Furthermore oftentimes even in routine medical practices treatment options are often abused to the point of being counterproductive and even deadly.
One particular compound which is very popular with the Morgellons community is colloidal silver. Just to make a clarification this article is not about whether colloidal silver is beneficial or not but to explain what happens when colloidal silver is over used in treatment. When silver particles are overly consumed people can suffer from Argyria or argyrosis (also known as blue skin) disorder. It may take the form of generalized argyria or local argyria. Generalized argyria impacts large areas over much of the visible surface of the body. Local argyria shows in limited areas of your body, for instance patches of skin, parts of the mucous membrane or the conjunctiva.
In animals and human beings long-term consumption of silver products commonly results in gradual accumulation of silver compounds in several areas of the body. exposure of pale or colourless silver compounds to sunlight decomposes them to silver metal or silver sulfides. Commonly these products deposit as microscopic particles in the skin, in effect causing a dark pigment. This condition is known as argyria or argyrosis. Chronic consumption may also result in silver pigments depositing in other organs subjected to sun light, in particular the eyes. Localised argyria often results from topical use of substances containing silver, such as some kinds of eye drops. Generalized argyria results from chronically swallowing or inhaling silver compounds either for medical purposes or as a result of working with silver or silver compounds. Argyria is normally considered to be irrevocable, with the only practical means of minimising its cosmetic disfigurement being to stay away from the sun.
Thankfully silver is generally considered only slightly toxic to humans so the risk of serious harm from exposure is considered small. Nevertheless, chronic ingestion or inhalation of silver compounds can often lead to blue skinned people. Generally speaking this is not life-threatening however it is often cosmetically undesirable and emotionally disturbing.
- Medical use of silver and/or silver compounds consists of the treatment of external infections or in medical appliances.