Dance of St. Vitus

Dance of St. Vitus is a rare neurological disorder characterized by uncontrolled movements of the facial muscles. It is named after Saint Vito Staufen, who was known for his seizures and chills in his limbs. It is believed that the dance of St. Vita, or chorea, is a mental disorder and manifests itself in the form of complex uncoordinated motor activity of either all muscles or only part of the body. The muscles of the face are most often affected, which is why the syndrome is called “nervous tic chorea.”

The seizure occurs spontaneously and suddenly. Symptoms begin with brief muscle tension. This is followed by a series of muscle contractions that cause bodily spasms. The limbs tremble greatly, they shake, their movements become more and more erratic, the limbs often bend and bend.

Movements of the limbs are most often accompanied by involuntary contractions of the facial muscles. They can last from several minutes to several hours. The patient is unable to control his actions and sometimes performs them with incredible force. During seizures, a person may hear voices or see hallucinations. As a rule, the attack stops suddenly, which is its main distinguishing feature.

Along with teak, there are attacks of choreoathetosis, choreobord, and synkinesis. With choreoasicusticoathetosis, the patient begins to jump and shake his head as if he is trying to remove twigs from his ears. Attacks may also occur in which the patient bends toward the ground, leaning on his hands and knees. This is reminiscent of the state of St. Vitus's dance.