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celine dion reveals she has stiff person syndrome, postpones tour

the singer announced thursday she's been diagnosed with a rare neurological condition.

by emma jones
published dec 08, 2022
last updated feb 16, 2023
read time 3 minute read
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read time 3 minute read
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celine dion postpones tour due to stiff person syndrome diagnosis
celine dion revealed on her instagram account on december 8, 2022 that she is suffering from a "very rare neurological disorder", which has forced her to postpone concerts on her "courage world tour" in europe once again. philippe lopez/afp / getty images
celine dion has rescheduled her 2023 tour dates after revealing she has been diagnosed with stiff person syndrome. one of the best-selling musicians of all time, dion’s courage world tour has been plagued by obstacles. starting in north america in september 2019, the bulk of the tour had to be postponed due to the covid-19 pandemic. another collection of shows initially rescheduled for spring and summer 2022 were postponed for a second time due to health concerns for dion.
taking to social media thursday morning, dion shared she had been diagnosed with stiff person syndrome, explaining it has been causing spasms that affect every aspect of the singer’s life, including walking and singing.
“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,” dion shared on her instagram. “…it hurts me to tell you that i won’t be ready to restart my tour in europe in february.”
dion explained she was working closely with a team of medical professionals, including sports medicine therapists, to address the condition and recuperate.
fans flooded the instagram post, wishing her a speedy recovery and praising her for sharing the news of her diagnosis.

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“i have to admit, it’s been a struggle,” dion said. “all i know is singing is what i’ve done all my life, and it’s what i love to do the most … i always give 100 per cent when i do my shows, but my condition is not allowing me to give you that right now.”

what is stiff person syndrome?

stiff person syndrome (sps) is a neurological condition characterized by muscle rigidity and sudden, painful muscle spasms. individuals diagnosed with sps may have trouble moving and may become hyper-sensitive to noise, touch or emotional distress, which can trigger spasms.
“people with sps can be too disabled to walk or move, or they are afraid to leave the house because street noises, such as the sound of a horn, can trigger spasms and falls,” according to the u.s. national institute of neurological disorders and stroke.
symptoms of sps include progressive muscle stiffness, which usually begins in the torso. over time, muscle stiffness may become more constant and can progress to the limbs and face. sporadic muscle spasms may also begin to develop.
sps is incredibly rare, affecting roughly one person per one million, according to johns hopkins. women are more often affected than men.
there is no known cause of sps, however, it is believed it may be an autoimmune condition that creates a deficiency of the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (gaba). gaba “helps control muscle movement and prevent hyperexcitibility within the brain and spine,” according to the u.s. national organization of rare disorders. this theory suggests the body attacks cells that produce the protein glutamic acid decarboxylase (gad), which is integral to the body’s production of gaba. however, this relationship is not fully understood.
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sps can often be diagnosed by a blood test, as the body may produce antibodies that target the gad protein. a doctor may also request a spinal tap to check for gad antibodies in the spinal fluid, as well as an electromyography to see the motor activity within the muscles.
there is no cure for sps, so a combination of medications and physical therapy are used to addresses mobility and pain.
emma jones is a multimedia editor with healthing. you can reach her at emjones@postmedia.com or on instagram and twitter @jonesyjourn.
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