Every time she runs or plays sports, the Chinese high school girl feels as if someone is tightly holding her left arm and leg.
Currently, there are still syndromes and diseases in the world that are very rare. The story of a high school girl shared by Dr. Huang Kai Huan, a neurologist at the Shudian Clinic in China, is an example.
Specifically, every time this high school girl runs or participates in sports, something strange occurs. She regularly feels as though her left arm and leg are being tightly held by someone during physical education classes.
Her family once believed that she was possessed. They even took her to meet an exorcist. However, this condition did not improve over two years; in fact, it became increasingly severe.
Dr. Huang Kai Huan shares about the strange disease that causes the high school girl to always feel her limbs being held tight when running. (Photo: Health).
Later, they decided to take her to the Shudian Clinic. At the clinic, Dr. Huang Kai Huan diagnosed the high school girl with a rare form of involuntary movement disorder.
This condition is known as “Paroxysmal Dystonia.” The incidence rate of this disease is 1 in 150,000. Symptoms typically begin between the ages of 6 and 20, with a male-to-female ratio of 3:1.
Dr. Huan further explained that this is a genetic disorder. It is caused by a mutation in the PRRT2 gene on chromosome 16, but it can occur in only one member of a family. In this case, no other family members of the high school girl are affected by the condition.
The doctor believes that the primary cause of this disease is structural and functional abnormalities in the basal ganglia. The basal ganglia are a group of structures in the brain that include the striatum (caudate nucleus, putamen), substantia nigra, and subthalamic nucleus.
These structures are located deep within each hemisphere of the brain. The basal ganglia play a crucial role in controlling motor function.
Basal ganglia disorders are a group of functional disorders that occur when the group of nuclei in the brain can no longer control unwanted movements or initiate the motor circuits to start motor functions.
Structural and functional abnormalities in the basal ganglia are the leading cause of movement disorders, including Parkinson’s disease.
The high school girl’s frequent sensation of having her limbs tightly held during physical activity is due to a disorder of the basal ganglia.
Dr. Huang Kai Huan stated that the girl can manage this condition with medication. Fortunately, half of the patients with this disorder will recover by the age of 30, while the other half may need to continue using medication to reduce the frequency of symptoms.
Because this disease is uncommon, many patients, despite visiting multiple clinics, still cannot find the cause. According to the doctor, diagnosing this condition requires time for neurological examinations, blood tests, and imaging studies to rule out causes such as abnormal blood sugar levels, stroke, brain tumors, thyroid dysfunction, multiple sclerosis, and more.
Additionally, during the examination, the doctor must observe the symptoms as well as any abnormal movements of the patient.
