What is Saint Vitus dance?
Saint Vitus dance is an alternative name for the Sydenham's chorea (chorea minor) movement disorder. Dance Saint Vitus represents jerky, uncoordinated movements of face, legs and hands, and sometimes limbs. It is usually associated with an acute rheumatic fever, an inflammatory disease caused by child infection with streptococcal bacteria A, such as in the scarlet fever or in the neck. This disease can also be associated with pregnancy and hyperthyroidism.
The name of Saint Vitus's dance comes from a Christian martyr who is the patron of dancers. In the late Middle Ages, believers in Germany and Latvia reportedly danced manicly in front of the statue of Saint Vitus to celebrate their holiday, and the movements associated with smaller chorea were assumed that they were similar to the dancers' movements. The alternative name for this disease, Sydenham's chorea, is taken from his discoverer, English physician of the 17th century Thomas Sydenham.
Sydenham's chorea is one of many formchorea or movement disorders. The word choreand is derived from the Greek word for "dance". Symptoms of all chorea types are similar, although they may vary in intensity and duration.
In addition to involuntary body movements, Saint Vitus dance can cause headaches, speech disorders, muscle weakness, slowing down knowledge and change of behavior. Sometimes changes in behavior present before abnormal movement. Diesease usually has an acute onset and disappears alone after a few months. However, freezing forms of symptoms may persist for years. The motor symptoms of Saint Vitus do not affect the patient when they sleep.
Saint vitus dance is mainly treated with streptococcal infection and eliminates it from the patient's system, usually penicillin or alternative antibiotic. Furthermore, it may be drugs to treat movement disorder. Antipsychotic haloperidol is a common choice, but has potentially serious side effects. Alternative drugs include anticonvulsants such asIt is carbamazepine, phenobarbitone and valproic acid. Finally, treatment including steroids or immunoglobulins can be used to support the patient's immune system.