What is the syndrome of stiff person syndrome, the disease from which Celine Dion suffers

Global superstar Celine Dion announced on Thursday, December 8 that she has been forced to cancel eight shows of her upcoming world tour and postpone all others due to a medical diagnosis. In a video on Instagram, the star apologized to fans for taking “so long” to be heard and explained that she has been battling stiff person syndrome for some time, a rare neurological condition which, although is working with a team of doctors, it continues to impact her daily life, even preventing her from using her vocal cords like she used to.

“As you know, I’ve always been an open book and I wasn’t ready to say anything before, but now I am. I had problems with health for a long time and it was very difficult for me to face these challenges and talk about everything I’ve been through,” the actress begins in the video.

“Recently it was me diagnosed a very rare neurological condition, called stiff person syndrome, which affects something like one in a million people. While we’re still learning about this rare condition, we now know it’s the cause of all the spasms I’ve had.”

“Unfortunately, these spasms affect every aspect of my daily life, sometimes causing difficulty when walking and not allowing me to use my vocal cords to sing as I am used to. It pains me to tell you today that this means I won’t be ready to resume my tour of Europe in February. I have a great team of doctors working alongside me to help me heal and my precious children who support me and give me hope. I’m working hard with my sports medicine therapist every day to get my strength back and my ability to perform again, but I have to admit it’s been a struggle.

All I know is sing. It’s what I’ve done all my life. And that’s what I love to do the most. I miss you so much, I miss seeing you all, being on stage, performing for you,” she says, fighting back tears.

“I always give you 100% when I do my shows, but my condition doesn’t allow me to give you this right now. In order to reach out to you again, I have no choice but to focus on my health right now and hopefully I am on the road to recovery. This is my goal and I’m doing everything I can to recover.”

The caption accompanying the video reads: “Celine Dion reschedules Spring 2023 shows to 2024 and cancels eight of her Summer 2023 shows. I have had health issues for a long time and it has been very difficult for me to face these challenges and speak of everything I’ve been through… It hurts me to tell you that I won’t be ready to resume my tour of Europe in February. Celine”.

To find out more about the syndrome, we spoke to the Dr. Aziza SesayNHS GP, GP educator, senior honorary clinic lecturer, host, speaker and health content creator, whose platform ‘Talks with Dr Sesayshares short, informative videos, infographics, live discussions and advice on a variety of topics, with a focus on women’s health and gynecological health, cancer awareness, mental health and health inequality.

Here’s everything you need to know about the diagnosis, symptoms, and treatment of this condition.

Stiff person syndrome (SPS) is a rare, progressive neurological condition affecting the brain and spinal cord. It is not yet known exactly why it occurs, but it is believed that there is an autoimmune element, which means that healthy parts of the brain and spine are attacked by the person’s own immune system, resulting in the symptoms experienced.

The main symptoms are fluctuating and progressive muscle stiffness and spasms, including stiffness in the limbs, chest or back muscles; walking and stability difficulties, which increase the risk of falls and make the individual more prone to injury; very painful spasms that can be strong enough to break bones and an increased sensitivity to light, noise or sound, which in itself can make the spasms worse.

Unsurprisingly, it can be very distressing both physically and emotionally and can have a profound effect on an individual’s daily activities and mental well-being – often leading to anxiety and depression.

Who is most likely to be affected by stiff person syndrome? This condition is said to be associated with other autoimmune conditions such as diabetes, vitiligo, autoimmune thyroid disorders, and so on. Therefore, people with these conditions are more likely to develop the syndrome. Women are twice as likely as men, and the age at which it occurs is between 30 and 60 years old.

There is currently no cure. The aim of treatment is to manage symptoms, including taking pain relievers to relieve nerve pain, muscle relaxants such as diazepam, which also helps with anxiety, spasm-relieving medications such as baclofen and treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin, which have been shown to be effective in managing a range of symptoms, including improvements in stiffness, sensitivity to noise and touch, and the ability to walk and maintain balance.

\