“Stiff person syndrome”: Céline Dion’s disease

The renowned Canadian singer celine dion surprised his fans around the world by announcing this Thursday, December 8, that he will have to suspend his European tour due to to a “very rare neurological problem” It affects your vocal abilities.

“I was recently diagnosed with a very rare neurological problem, known in English as the Stiff person syndrome (stiff person syndrome),” Dion explained in a video she posted on her social media.

According to information from Information Center for Genetic and Rare Diseases (GARD) stiff person syndrome is characterized “by episodes of stiffness and muscle spasms of the muscles of the trunk and of the arms and legs, which is often caused by increased sensitivity to noise, touch and as a response to startle”.

Most of the time the symptoms begin between the ages of 30 and 60, and in the case of the singer, this diagnosis prevents her from “use the vocal cords”, said. “Not much is known yet about this rare disease, but we now know that it is the cause of my muscle spasms.”

People with this syndrome can also adopt abnormal postures, warns the GARD, which belongs to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the United States – and also points out that the disease affects more women than men.

It is a rare and rare condition – estimates put it affecting around 70 people in the UK and just 330 in the US.

Céline Dion talked about her health and soon a lot of concern

Regarding the causes, they are still unknown, but it is classified as an autoimmune disease – so called because the immune system mistakenly attacks the body itself – in this case “The central nervous system, brain and spinal cord”.

The specialized site also details that this diagnosis is frequently associated “with other autoimmune diseases such as diabetes, thyroiditis, vitiligo and pernicious anemia.”

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Stiff person syndrome: the most frequent symptoms

• Abnormal postures such as slouching over yourself
• Episodes of muscle stiffness and spasms that occur due to increased sensitivity to noise, touch, and as a startle response
• Falls due to spasms and muscle stiffness when people with the disease are walking or standing
• cerebral palsy
• epilepsy

Sometimes the spasms they cause can be so severe that they dislocate joints and break bones. Over time, the disease becomes more severe and can paralyze patients to the point that they require the use of a walker or wheelchair.

Stiff person syndrome treatments and therapies

Although there is no cure, treatment with physical therapy and medications such as diazepam and baclofen can help control symptoms in most patients to regulate episodes and reduce stiffness.

In addition to this disease, many people with stiff person syndrome also suffer from anxiety and depression, probably because of the symptoms of the syndrome that flourish in their daily activities, “but also because the cause of the syndrome is related to low levels of neurotransmitters, that help maintain a person’s mood”, he explains.

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