Woman develops bizarre ‘dancing disorder’ and rapid weight loss due to diabetes complication
A 20-year-old woman in Shenzhen, China, began experiencing bizarre, uncontrollable “dancing” movements in her hands and feet, a symptom later traced to a rare form of diabetes-related brain damage.
Her condition also caused rapid weight loss, which she initially mistook as a sign that her diet was working.
Involuntary movements worsen at night
According to Seehua News, citing local Chinese media, the woman, identified as Ms Liu (name transliterated from Chinese), had no family history of diabetes.
Source: Seehua News
Despite this, she started developing involuntary limb movements that became more pronounced at night.
At the same time, she was losing weight at an alarming rate of nearly one kilogram every two days.
Concerned, she sought medical help. Hospital tests revealed dangerously high blood sugar levels, with her HbA1c, a test used to measure the amount of sugar attached to one’s blood cells, reaching 17.7%, far above the normal range of 5.7%.
Diagnosed with rare diabetes-related brain disorder
Doctors diagnosed Ms Liu with non-ketotic hyperglycaemic hemichorea, a rare neurological complication linked to uncontrolled diabetes.
Source: Seehua News
The condition affects areas of the brain responsible for movement, triggering jerky, dance-like motions in the limbs.
Her fasting blood glucose levels were also found to be significantly above normal.
Poor diet and lifestyle habits blamed
Doctors later reviewed Ms Liu’s lifestyle and identified several contributing factors.
She often ate just one meal a day and lacked a balanced diet. She also drank milk tea around three times a week.
The high sugar content of these drinks, combined with long gaps between meals, caused repeated spikes and crashes in her blood sugar levels.
Over time, this placed extreme strain on her pancreas and led to a severe metabolic imbalance. Her late nights and lack of physical activity further worsened the condition.
Undergoing treatment as doctors issue warning
Ms Liu is now receiving treatment in the hospital. Her fasting blood glucose has since dropped, but remains above normal levels.
Doctors warned that long-term high sugar intake and irregular eating habits can trigger serious conditions even in young people.
They advised the public to maintain a routine and avoid consuming excessive amounts of sweet drinks.
Also read: Man in Taiwan visits doctor over sore throat, gets diagnosed with 4 types of cancer
Man in Taiwan visits doctor over sore throat, gets diagnosed with 4 types of cancer
Have news you must share? Get in touch with us via email at news@mustsharenews.com.
Featured image adapted from Seehua Daily News.
