A 66-Year Old Female with Belly Dancer's Syndrome: A Case Report from a Low-Resource Setting

Belly dancer's syndrome (BDS) is a rare movement disorder characterised by involuntary, rhythmic or semi-rhythmic contractions of the diaphragm and abdominal wall musculature, producing undulating movements that resemble those of a belly dancer. Owing to its rarity and the broad range of underlying causes, BDS is frequently misdiagnosed, and a substantial proportion of cases remain idiopathic.

This was a 66-year-old woman with well controlled hypertension who presented with a 15-year history of intermittent involuntary, jerky movements of the abdominal wall, preceded by a burning epigastric sensation and accompanied by abdominal pain, dyspnoea, and excessive sweating. Episodes had increased in frequency over the preceding month. Examination revealed visible dyskinetic movements of the entire abdominal wall lasting up to 25 minutes, with preserved consciousness and a normal neurological examination. Investigations, including a complete blood count, renal and liver function tests, and brain computed tomography, were unremarkable, while electrolyte analysis revealed mild hyponatremia, hypomagnesaemia and hypokalaemia. The patient was started on oral clonazepam and showed complete resolution of dyskinetic movements within three days after initiation of treatment.

Belly dancer's syndrome remains rare and underdiagnosed, particularly in resource-limited settings where access to specialized advanced diagnostics is constrained. Clonazepam offers symptomatic relief, and persistent cases should prompt referral for further workup. This case contributes to the sparse literature on the condition and calls for greater clinical awareness to improve its recognition and management.