In 2022,Celine Dion received a heartbreaking diagnosis: She has stiff person syndrome (SPS).
If you’ve never heard of SPS, you’re not alone.
Some with the disease inevitably lose their mobility.
SPS usually affects the torso first, causing muscle stiffness in that area.
Dion has experienced all of these symptoms, and they have spread throughout her body including her vocal cords.
Dion has undoubtedly raised awareness surrounding this uncommon disorder and her own experiences.
Here’s what we know about SPS.
In late 2022, Dion was ready to share her health news with her fans.
In a YouTube video, she confirmed she’d been dealing with a health crisis.
She then proceeded to tell fans that she had to cancel her upcoming tours.
“All I know is singing.
It’s what I’ve known all my life.
And it’s what I love to do the most,” she said, blinking back tears.
While the legendary singer has had to step back from singing, her love for her fans is unwavering.
And more research is needed to improve current treatments.
“I haven’t beat the disease, as it’s still within me and always will be.
She also told theBBCthat she’s planning on raising funds for SPS research and creating awareness around the disease.
It’s a severe form of SPS that exacerbates the symptoms associated with general SPS.
These patients usually need to be hospitalized.
The muscle spasms, like the stiffness, can affect certain limbs and sometimes the entire body.
They can last anything from a few seconds to a few hours.
Dion’s spasms, like the one shown in the documentary, sometimes lasts 30 minutes to an hour.
Medications that affect the GABA neurotransmitter are also prescribed to treat SPS.
Sometimes, doctors prescribe serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) to patients whose anxiety triggers SPS symptoms.
Immunotherapies can also be implemented to treat SPS patients.
Popular exercises for SPS include stretching, Pilates, and yoga.
“The way I see it, I have two choices.
“Five days a week I undergo athletic, physical and vocal therapy.
“I have to learn to live with it now and stop questioning myself.”
Many of these triggers are environmental and cannot be controlled by the patient.
Stressful situations are another trigger.
Excitement seems to be a trigger as well.
Dion seemed miserable at the prospect.
Her physical therapist tried to reassure her.
“It’s scary, I know.
This is not the end of your journey.”
As she told Vogue France, “At the beginning I would ask myself: why me?
How did this happen?”
Doctors believe it to be triggered by certain antibodies that attack glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD).
GAD is crucial for the body to function normally since it produces gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA).
GABA is a neurotransmitter responsible for controlling muscle movements.
When antibodies attack it, this neurotransmitter’s function is impaired, leading to the symptoms linked to SPS.
And as Cleveland Clinic points out, GAD antibodies aren’t solely responsible for SPS.
Women are more often diagnosed with SPS than men.
There’s no telling whether Celine Dion had any of the above mentioned conditions prior to her SPS diagnosis.
The singer addressed the rumors on several occasions, tellingABC Newsin 2019 that people had nothing to worry about.
“It’s true that I’m a little thinner.
Nothing’s wrong.”
Several tests are needed for doctors to rule out other medical conditions before an SPS diagnosis can be made.
Blood tests are primarily done to determine whether the body is making anti-Gad65 antibodies.
Stiff person syndrome often goes undiagnosed for years
Stiff person syndrome often takes years to diagnose.
Celine Dion knows the grueling diagnosis process all too well.
She went to see a doctor immediately.
So she continued her Las Vegas residency and five tours.
It was while she continued pushing herself amid her existing symptoms that she also occasionally started having difficulty walking.
“I was holding on to things,” she recalled.
When the pandemic hit, Dion knew she had to find answers.
She underwent several tests as doctors tried to eliminate every possible condition she could have.
Finally, they figured out that SPS was the cause of her symptoms.
I was finally able to move with the wave, not against it,” Dion admitted.
Many patients end up walking with a cane, walker, or are wheelchair bound.
“It’s not just about vocal exercising and doing Pilates.
It’s rehabilitation physically and vocally, emotionally and spirituallythe whole shebang.”
My happiness came back.”
