By Drew Weisholtz—
Today
Canadian singer Celine Dion, 54, revealed Thursday that she suffers from an unusual neurological disease that has forced her to postpone concerts on her European tour next year.
In an emotional video posted to Instagram in which she repeatedly fought back tears, the Grammy-winning Dion announced that she has been diagnosed
with stiff person syndrome,
which causes painful spasms and makes it difficult to walk.
"I'm sorry it took so long to get in touch with you.
I miss you so much and can't wait to be on stage with you in person," Dion says in the video.
“As you know, I have always been an open book;
before she was not prepared to say anything, but now she is.
I have had health problems for a long time and it has been very difficult for me to face them and talk about everything, ”she assured.
“I have recently been diagnosed with a very unusual neurological disorder called Stiff Person Syndrome, which affects one in a million people.
We are still learning about this rare disease, but now we know that it is the cause of all the spasms I have had.
Unfortunately, they affect all aspects of my daily life, sometimes they make it difficult for me to walk and they do not allow me to use my vocal cords to sing as I am used to, ”explained the singer.
“It pains me to tell you that I won't be ready to resume my tour of Europe in February,” she said, her voice cracking, “I have a great team of doctors working by my side to help me and my precious children, who support me and give me hope. ”.
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“I am 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 has been a struggle,” he added.
"The only thing I know how to do is sing. It's what I've done all my life and what I like to do the most," he concluded, "I miss them a lot. I miss being on stage acting, I always give 100% in my concerts, but My state doesn't allow me to give them that right now."
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Dion had already canceled her North American tour dates in January and her European tour dates in April due to health concerns.
“I am being treated by my doctors, taking medication, but I am still experiencing spasms and it is taking much longer to recover than I expected,” she said on Instagram in April.
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Stiff person syndrome (SPS) is a
rare neurological disorder
with features of an autoimmune disease, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
"It is characterized by fluctuating muscle stiffness in the trunk and extremities and increased sensitivity to stimuli such as noise, touch, and emotional distress, which can trigger muscle spasms," they point out on their website, "abnormal postures, often stooped and rigid, are characteristic of the disorder”.
People with this disease can become so disabled that they can't walk or move, the NIH adds.
Loud noises can also trigger spasms or falls.
The number of women suffering from SPS is twice that of men.
It's not clear what causes it, though the NIH notes that it is "often misdiagnosed as Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, psychosomatic illness, or anxiety and phobia."
