Céline Dion recently opened up about her battle with stiff person syndrome (SPS), a condition she first disclosed nearly two years ago. SPS is a rare autoimmune neurological disorder that impacts muscles and coordination, leading to muscle stiffening, painful spasms, and an increased risk of falls. Although there is no cure, treatments such as immunotherapy, benzodiazepines, and physical therapy can help enhance quality of life.
Almost two years ago, the Canadian music legend Céline Dion announced her diagnosis of stiff person syndrome and withdrew from the public eye. Now, she’s sharing her experience with NBC News.
Céline Dion recently opened up about her battle with stiff person syndrome (SPS), a condition she first disclosed nearly two years ago. SPS is a rare autoimmune neurological disorder that impacts muscles and coordination, leading to muscle stiffening, painful spasms, and an increased risk of falls. Although there is no cure, treatments such as immunotherapy, benzodiazepines, and physical therapy can help enhance quality of life.
Almost two years ago, the Canadian music legend Céline Dion announced her diagnosis of stiff person syndrome and withdrew from the public eye. Now, she’s sharing her experience with NBC News.
Céline Dion, 56, who has sold over 200 million albums, has significantly reduced her performances due to SPS, which hampers her movement and singing ability.
In a recent interview with NBC’s Hoda Kotb, Dion described the challenges of living with SPS. “It’s like somebody is strangling you. It’s like somebody is pushing your larynx/pharynx,” she explained.
Dion also mentioned how muscle stiffness has affected her daily activities and hobbies. “If I cook — because I love to cook — my fingers, my hands, will get in position. … It’s cramping, but it’s like in a position where you cannot unlock them,” she said.
She experiences frequent muscle spasms in her throat and abdomen, one of which was so severe that it broke a rib. “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,” Dion shared.
“All I know is singing,” she added. “It’s what I’ve done all my life. And it’s what I love to do the most.”
SPS is an autoimmune neurological condition characterized by an overly excitable nervous system, leading to symptoms like muscle stiffness and painful spasms. According to Dr. Scott Newsome, Director of the Stiff Person Syndrome Center at Johns Hopkins Medicine, SPS is rare, affecting only one or two people per million, though it may be more common than current statistics suggest.
Diagnosing SPS often involves seeing a neurologist and conducting blood tests for specific antibodies. Dr. Shailee Shah, an Assistant Professor in Neuroimmunology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, emphasized the importance of early referral to a neurologist for suspected cases.
SPS commonly develops between ages 30 and 50 and is more prevalent among women and individuals with other autoimmune diseases. Symptoms include muscle stiffness, painful spasms, irregular gait, and increased risk of falls. Emotional distress, anxiety, and depression are also common.
SPS is a progressive disease with varying symptoms. Variations include classic SPS, focal SPS (isolated to an arm or leg), and SPS with cerebellar ataxia (affecting muscle control and causing dizziness).
Céline Dion recently opened up about her battle with stiff person syndrome (SPS), a condition she first disclosed nearly two years ago. SPS is a rare autoimmune neurological disorder that impacts muscles and coordination, leading to muscle stiffening, painful spasms, and an increased risk of falls. Although there is no cure, treatments such as immunotherapy, benzodiazepines, and physical therapy can help enhance quality of life.
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Almost two years ago, the Canadian music legend Céline Dion announced her diagnosis of stiff person syndrome and withdrew from the public eye. Now, she’s sharing her experience with NBC News.
Céline Dion, 56, who has sold over 200 million albums, has significantly reduced her performances due to SPS, which hampers her movement and singing ability.
In a recent interview with NBC’s Hoda Kotb, Dion described the challenges of living with SPS. “It’s like somebody is strangling you. It’s like somebody is pushing your larynx/pharynx,” she explained.
Dion also mentioned how muscle stiffness has affected her daily activities and hobbies. “If I cook — because I love to cook — my fingers, my hands, will get in position. … It’s cramping, but it’s like in a position where you cannot unlock them,” she said.
She experiences frequent muscle spasms in her throat and abdomen, one of which was so severe that it broke a rib. “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,” Dion shared.
“All I know is singing,” she added. “It’s what I’ve done all my life. And it’s what I love to do the most.”
SPS is an autoimmune neurological condition characterized by an overly excitable nervous system, leading to symptoms like muscle stiffness and painful spasms. According to Dr. Scott Newsome, Director of the Stiff Person Syndrome Center at Johns Hopkins Medicine, SPS is rare, affecting only one or two people per million, though it may be more common than current statistics suggest.
Diagnosing SPS often involves seeing a neurologist and conducting blood tests for specific antibodies. Dr. Shailee Shah, an Assistant Professor in Neuroimmunology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, emphasized the importance of early referral to a neurologist for suspected cases.
SPS commonly develops between ages 30 and 50 and is more prevalent among women and individuals with other autoimmune diseases. Symptoms include muscle stiffness, painful spasms, irregular gait, and increased risk of falls. Emotional distress, anxiety, and depression are also common.
SPS is a progressive disease with varying symptoms. Variations include classic SPS, focal SPS (isolated to an arm or leg), and SPS with cerebellar ataxia (affecting muscle control and causing dizziness).
The exact cause of SPS remains unknown, but it is linked to the GAD65 antibody, which targets the enzyme glutamic acid decarboxylase involved in GABA neurotransmission. This disruption causes the nervous system to become hyper-excitable, triggering symptoms.
While there is no cure for SPS, treatment focuses on symptom management and improving quality of life. This includes immunotherapies, benzodiazepines, muscle relaxers, and medications acting on the GABA pathway. Physical interventions like stretching, massage, yoga, acupuncture, and physical therapy can also help alleviate symptoms.
Céline Dion’s openness about her SPS diagnosis sheds light on this rare condition and the challenges it presents. Despite the lack of a cure, a comprehensive treatment approach can help manage symptoms and improve the quality of life for those affected.
The exact cause of SPS remains unknown, but it is linked to the GAD65 antibody, which targets the enzyme glutamic acid decarboxylase involved in GABA neurotransmission. This disruption causes the nervous system to become hyper-excitable, triggering symptoms.
While there is no cure for SPS, treatment focuses on symptom management and improving quality of life. This includes immunotherapies, benzodiazepines, muscle relaxers, and medications acting on the GABA pathway. Physical interventions like stretching, massage, yoga, acupuncture, and physical therapy can also help alleviate symptoms.
Céline Dion’s openness about her SPS diagnosis sheds light on this rare condition and the challenges it presents. Despite the lack of a cure, a comprehensive treatment approach can help manage symptoms and improve the quality of life for those affected.
Céline Dion, 56, who has sold over 200 million albums, has significantly reduced her performances due to SPS, which hampers her movement and singing ability.
In a recent interview with NBC’s Hoda Kotb, Dion described the challenges of living with SPS. “It’s like somebody is strangling you. It’s like somebody is pushing your larynx/pharynx,” she explained.
Dion also mentioned how muscle stiffness has affected her daily activities and hobbies. “If I cook — because I love to cook — my fingers, my hands, will get in position. … It’s cramping, but it’s like in a position where you cannot unlock them,” she said.
She experiences frequent muscle spasms in her throat and abdomen, one of which was so severe that it broke a rib. “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,” Dion shared.
“All I know is singing,” she added. “It’s what I’ve done all my life. And it’s what I love to do the most.”
SPS is an autoimmune neurological condition characterized by an overly excitable nervous system, leading to symptoms like muscle stiffness and painful spasms. According to Dr. Scott Newsome, Director of the Stiff Person Syndrome Center at Johns Hopkins Medicine, SPS is rare, affecting only one or two people per million, though it may be more common than current statistics suggest.
Diagnosing SPS often involves seeing a neurologist and conducting blood tests for specific antibodies. Dr. Shailee Shah, an Assistant Professor in Neuroimmunology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, emphasized the importance of early referral to a neurologist for suspected cases.
SPS commonly develops between ages 30 and 50 and is more prevalent among women and individuals with other autoimmune diseases. Symptoms include muscle stiffness, painful spasms, irregular gait, and increased risk of falls. Emotional distress, anxiety, and depression are also common.
SPS is a progressive disease with varying symptoms. Variations include classic SPS, focal SPS (isolated to an arm or leg), and SPS with cerebellar ataxia (affecting muscle control and causing dizziness).
The exact cause of SPS remains unknown, but it is linked to the GAD65 antibody, which targets the enzyme glutamic acid decarboxylase involved in GABA neurotransmission. This disruption causes the nervous system to become hyper-excitable, triggering symptoms.
While there is no cure for SPS, treatment focuses on symptom management and improving quality of life. This includes immunotherapies, benzodiazepines, muscle relaxers, and medications acting on the GABA pathway. Physical interventions like stretching, massage, yoga, acupuncture, and physical therapy can also help alleviate symptoms.
Céline Dion’s openness about her SPS diagnosis sheds light on this rare condition and the challenges it presents. Despite the lack of a cure, a comprehensive treatment approach can help manage symptoms and improve the quality of life for those affected.
