Singer Celine Dion revealed in an emotional video that she has been diagnosed with Stiff-person Syndrome, a "very rare neurological disorder" that is affecting her singing and she is experiencing health issues "for a long time".
Celine Dion said, "I¡¯ve been dealing with problems with my health for a long time, and it¡¯s been really difficult for me to face these challenges and to talk about everything that I¡¯ve been going through¡It hurts me to tell you that I won¡¯t be ready to restart my tour in Europe in February.¡±
Stiff-person Syndrome or SPS and Moersch-Woltman syndrome is a rare autoimmune movement disorder. It usually affects the central nervous system and affects one in every one million people. The patient may experience stiffening of the muscles near the trunk and abdomen area as well as stiffness around the legs and other muscles of the body. This condition is typically diagnosed in middle-aged people and results in chronic pain and spasms that are typically triggered by noise, emotional distress, and light physical touch.
Dr. Scott Newsome, director of the Stiff Person Syndrome Center, said in a video on the organization¡¯s (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) website that the first case of stiff person syndrome was reported in the 1950s, and the condition was previously referred to as "stiff man syndrome."
Since then, it has been discovered that twice as many women as men suffer from it, and the condition's name has been changed to stiff person syndrome to avoid misunderstanding.
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, stiff person syndrome is thought to have characteristics of an autoimmune disease.
However, the exact cause is unknown, the institute states that? ¡°people with SPS have elevated levels of GAD, an antibody that works against an enzyme involved in the synthesis of an important neurotransmitter in the brain.¡±
Patients frequently seek treatment for chronic pain prior to neurological care because of the disease's rarity and ambiguity. According to Newsome, the average time it takes to receive a stiff person syndrome diagnosis is seven years.
The symptoms can take months or years to develop as some patients' conditions can improve over time while others can remain in bad conditions. The symptoms include muscle stiffness near the trunk and abdomen, hunched posture, painful muscle spasms, and trouble sleeping.
SPS has no known treatment, but medications can reduce symptoms. This disease can be treated with muscle relaxants, anxiety medications, and painkillers. Botulinum toxin injections are also used by the Stiff Person Syndrome Center.
The disease can cause severe impairment of daily living if left untreated.