Canadian singer Celine Dion opened up to her fans on social media and through a video gave sad news: she will no longer be able to sing like before. by the diagnosis of a rare disease called “stiff person syndrome” to which, according to Dion herself in her video, she gives one in a million.
These data have been confirmed by neurologist Francisco García Jiménez, of the San Vicente Fundación Hospital, who states that “it is an extremely rare disease” that compromises the structures of the central nervous system.
The disease is usually manifested by involuntary muscle contractions, movement disorders, pain, hypersensitivity to external stimuli and manifestations in the extremities, abdomen “or even the whole body.”
However, each diagnosis is unique and will involve a specific muscle area. “What will be difficult for the person depends on the muscle area affected: walking, coordination can be limited, even going so far as to completely limit voluntary motor activities”, explains the neurologist.
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What is known so far about the diagnosis of singer Celine Dion, from her own public statements, is that this disease causes spasms that sometimes do not even allow her to walk properly or “use the vocal cords as she did before”, this is how he expresses it in the video published on his YouTube account and social networks (@CelineDion).
In an article published by the American neurologist Michael Rubin, of the Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York, the specialist explains that this syndrome “is a central nervous system disorder that causes progressive muscle stiffness and spasms” and occurs when the body produces antibodies that attack its own tissues.
These antibodies attack the nerve cells in the spinal cord that control muscle movement, which is why they cause those spasms and stiffness that sometimes even prevent walking, as Celine Dion herself said.
Neurologists, such as Doctor Alejandro Villarraga, confirm that it is indeed a strange syndrome and that few patients know about this disease.
Day by day
The main symptoms are muscle rigidity, spasms of the trunk, abdomen and to a lesser extent in the legs and arms. Dr. Rubin makes a clarification in his article and that is that this disease is progressive and therefore leads to disability and stiffness in the body.
“The main feature of the disease are involuntary muscle contractions mainly in the trunk, abdomen and extremities. This can lead to taking abnormal positions in the body, causing falls and generating pain. Some patients also show hypersensitivity to certain stimuli that can precipitate attacks of muscle contractions,” notes García Jiménez.
According to the Merck Manual, a book published on diseases and their treatments, the muscles of people with this disease become stiffer and they increase their size: “the process begins in the trunk and abdomen and eventually affects the muscles of the whole body”.
Doctor García Jiménez specifies that there is no single origin to this disease: “It has been observed frequently in women and associated with autoimmune diseases such as certain types of diabetes, vitiligo, thyroiditis In these people specific antibodies can be found which aid in diagnosis.There is another group, fortunately small, in which the condition is associated with cancers and a third group in which the cause cannot be identified and is said to be idiopathic.
Although this syndrome is incurable and progressive, the treatment consists of relieve symptoms and some specific medications are also administered which can only be provided with a medical prescription from a medical professional. It is advisable to accompany the treatment with a muscle relaxant.
When asked if the singer could sing again even knowing her diagnosis, medical professionals say that “it is difficult to anticipate how the behavior of the condition will be” since the degrees of commitment are varied and “also the origin and the response or not to currently available treatments”, as doctor Francisco García Jiménez reminds us.
For now, Celine Dion fans are hoping the Canadian artist will soon return to her shows with her unmistakable voice. She herself explained that she has a team of doctors working for her health. In addition, his children give him strength.
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