Belly Dancing Disorder: Unearthing Uncommon Diagnoses in Patients Presenting with Common Complaints

Abstract This case report outlines the presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of belly dancer dyskinesia (BDD) in a 65-year-old male patient initially misdiagnosed with gastroesophageal reflux disease. The patient complained of regurgitation and hiccups for the past 3 months with no improvement of symptoms after proton-pump inhibitors. Despite adding baclofen, the patient’s symptoms persisted, prompting further clinical evaluation revealing dystonic abdominal movements characteristic of BDD. Routine neuroimaging and abdominal imaging were normal. The liver and renal function tests were normal treatment with clonazepam and promethazine resulting in rapid symptom improvement, with sustained relief even after tapering promethazine. Notably, BDD lacks the sudden, jerky movements of myoclonus and the stereotyped nature of tics, aiding in its differentiation. Diagnostic tests including electrophysiological studies were crucial for confirmation, but they were not done as the patient did not incline after good symptomatic improvement. Early recognition and tailored treatment of rare conditions, yet presenting with common symptoms like BDD, need clinical vigilance.