Celine Dion Diagnosed with Stiff Person Syndrome

Celine Dion has canceled her upcoming tour after being diagnosed with this rare neurological condition. After being diagnosed with Stiff Person Syndrome, a medical condition, Celine Dion announced that he would cancel and reschedule his 2023 tour dates.

WHAT IS STIFFNESS SYNDROME? LIFE OF CELINE DION AFTER BEING DIAGNOSED WITH “STIFF PERSON SYNDROME”

The syndrome, which causes progressive stiffness in the body and severe muscle spasms, is “extremely rare,” says Dr. Pavan Tankha, who is the medical director of comprehensive pain management at his clinic in Cleveland. , perhaps he states that Celine Dion is one in a million.

Moreover, Here’s what you need to know about the diagnosis, symptoms, and treatment of the disease.

WHAT IS STIFF PERSON SYNDROME?

Stiff-person syndrome is a rare autoimmune neuropathy that affects the central nervous system and can cause generalized stiffness and painful muscle spasms. The term was first coined in the 1920s when doctors describe patients as “wooden men” when they collapsed (as “stiff man syndrome”).

The exact cause of the condition is not clear, but “the immune system is involve,” says Scott Newsom, director of the Stiff Person Syndrome Center at Dr. Johns Hopkins Medicine. says so. This syndrome is difficult to diagnose, says Dr. New, and perhaps underestimated.

Although the syndrome itself is not fatal, it can have a significant impact on the patient’s quality of life. Furthermore,  Also, like many chronic diseases, the complications associated with it can reduce life expectancy.

WHO IS AT RISK FOR STIFF PERSON SYNDROME?

People of all ages can get the disease, according to Richard Nowak, an assistant professor of neurology at Dr. Yale School of Medicine, and it’s most typical of middle-age people between the ages of 30 and 60. and can be associate with many stressful events. Like many other immune disorders, it is seen more often in women than men, says Dr. Newsom.

Moreover, Certain autoimmune diseases and cancers are associating with a slightly increased risk of developing the syndrome, says Dr. Thangka, including diabetes, thyroiditis, vitiligo, breast cancer, thyroid cancer, lung cancer, and colon cancer. included. However, the risk remains low.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF STIFF PERSON SYNDROME?

Stiff-person syndrome often begins with stiffness in the trunk and abdomen and can then spread to the legs, arms, and face, says Tanka. At first, this loss of mobility may occur infrequently, but over time it becomes constant and the patient may bend slightly or lose the ability to walk altogether. Moreover, Painful muscles You may also experience spasms and persistent pain.

DURATION

The duration of the spasms can range from seconds to hours, says Dr. Tanka, and they are so strong that they can break bones or trip the patient. It can be caused by a variety of environmental factors, including noise, cold temperatures, and emotional stress, Newsom said. The presence of chronic pain can also cause some patients to develop anxiety, depression, and phobias about going out or trying new activities. The symptoms and their severity vary, according to Dr. From new person to person. “It’s an individual disease,” he says.

HOW IS STIFF PERSON SYNDROME TREATING?

There is no cure for stiff person syndrome, so doctors focus on managing symptoms and pain. Treatment for this condition is often a patchwork of drug and non-pharmaceutical interventions, says Dr. Newsom.

Stiffness and spasms can be treat with muscle relaxants and Botox injections. More severe symptoms are treat with immunotherapy and immunosuppressants. Newsom. By lowering the body’s immune response, it may help alleviate symptoms, said Senda Ajlaud Doris, associate professor of neurology at Dr. Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine.

For non-pharmacological treatments, patients can receive cognitive-behavioral therapy and other psychological therapies to ease the emotional triggers that cause muscle spasms and develop skills for living with chronic illness.

Similarly, Other types of treatment, such as physical therapy, hydrotherapy, heat therapy, and acupuncture, may help relieve symptoms for some people.

HOW IS STIFF-PERSON SYNDROME DIAGNOse?

Diagnosing the condition requires a combination of tools, says Dr. Nowak. Due to its rarity, the stiff-person syndrome is usually diagnose by excluding other, more common disorders. Furthermore, Your healthcare provider will then do a physical and neurological examination, blood tests, an assessment of muscle stiffness, an MRI or other imaging test, and a spinal tap.

Although there are common symptoms association with stiff person syndrome, it’s important to remember that this condition is extremely rare. Nowak. “All pain is not necessarily hard people,” Celine Dion says.

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