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Celine Dion revealed she suffers an unusual neurological disease

Celine Dion (54) recently revealed to her fans that she suffers from an unusual neurological disease called ‘stiff person syndrome’. This condition is incredibly rare and affects only one out of a million people in the world. How much of a toll this disease took on her body also proves the fact that the singer had to postpone her European tour. 

The „My heart will go on“ singer revealed in an Instagram post: “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.”

Dion added: “Unfortunately, these spasms affect every aspect of my daily life, sometimes causing difficulties when I walk and not allowing me to use my vocal cords to sing the way I’m used to. I’m working hard with my sports medicine therapist every day to build back my strength and my ability to perform again. But I have to admit, it’s been a struggle.”

Her fans were left with more questions than answers, and considering how rare this disorder is, it’s no surprise that a lot of us haven’t even heard about it before. So if you want to learn more about this rare medical condition, then keep on reading.

What is stiff person syndrome?

This is an extremely rare disorder that causes the muscles of the torso and limbs to spasm and stiffen. Unfortunately, the disease is incurable and the true cause is still unknown. The stiffness can be so severe that it affects mobility, and the affected person could end up in a wheelchair. The condition can also lead to spasms that create forces so strong they cause a bone to break.

Sufferers often have an increased sensitivity to noise, sudden movement, and emotional stress, meaning that something as simple as knocking on a door can “lock” patients inside their bodies.

There are three types of stiff person syndromes:

Classic type

Stiffness and cramps occur around the back and abdomen, and sometimes the thighs and neck. Over time, it can cause kyphosis.

Stiff Limb type

 Cramps affect the legs and feet, occasionally causing them to be locked in place. The hands can also be affected.

Stiff-twitching type 

The rarest, most aggressive form, which involves spasms in all parts of the body, including the head and eyes.

Experts do not know exactly what is behind the disease. But they believe it could be caused by an autoimmune reaction when the body attacks its own nerve cells that control muscle movement.

About 40 percent of sufferers also have type 1 diabetes, which is another autoimmune disease. Type 1 diabetes is particularly associated with the classic type of this syndrome. Likewise, other autoimmune conditions such as vitiligo and pernicious anemia are also associated with it.

Furthermore, the condition is more common in people with breast, lung, kidney, thyroid, or colon cancer, as well as lymphoma, but researchers do not yet know why.

What are the symptoms of stiff person syndrom?

The main symptoms are spasms and stiffness of the trunk and limbs. Spasms can be triggered by loud noises, and the condition also causes increased sensitivity to sound.

Touch and emotional stress may also be felt more intensely as a result of the condition. Spasms can be so severe that they cause people to fall or cause difficulty walking and other disabilities.

Given that it is a rare disease, it is often mistaken for Parkinson’s disease or multiple sclerosis (MS). Because of this, diagnosing the syndrome can take a long time.

Unfortunately, there is no cure, but the symptoms can be controlled in most patients. Spasm-controlling medications can help regulate episodes and reduce stiffness. 

With a background in the entertainment industry, Katarina has gained experience in many aspects of media and showbusiness. As a former model and beauty expert, she has worked with dozens of Hollywood celebrities both in front of and behind the camera. She is often a judge of model searches and beauty pageants around the world. As a model and actress, Katarina has appeared on the cover of over 60 magazines worldwide and has been profiled on hundreds of major media outlets including CNN, FOX, and NBC. As an entrepreneur, she’s been profiled on FORBES, SHE MEDIA and BUSINESS ROCKSTARS, to name a few. She has appeared in 17 national and international TV commercials such as Pepsi, Nike, Dodge Ram, and Coors Light, as well as in music videos for international stars such as Dorothy, Tito Jackson and Andy Madadian, amongst others. Most recently, she played in the movie Unbelievable!!!!! which had a world premiere during the recent pandemic and the 7x award winning movie Crypto Heads, directed by Dan Gillin.