CELINE DION DIAGNOSED WITH STIFF PERSON SYNDROME

Stiff-person syndrome (SPS) is a rare acquired neurological disorder characterized by progressive muscle stiffness and repeated episodes of painful muscle spasms.

In a video message to fans on Dec. 8, Celine shared that she has stiff-person syndrome, "As you know, I've always been an open book, I wasn't ready to say anything before, but I'm ready now. 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."

"Unfortunately, the spasms affect every aspect of my daily life," she continued. "Sometimes causing difficulties when I walk and not allowing me to use my vocal chords to sing the way I'm used to. It hurts me to tell you today, this means, that I won't be ready to restart my tour in Europe in February." she says, "I have a great team of doctors working alongside me to help me get better,"

Symptoms may include stiff muscles in the trunk, arms, and legs; and greater sensitivity to noise, touch, and emotional distress, which can set off muscle spasms.

Scientists don't yet understand what causes SPS, but research indicates that it is the result of an autoimmune response gone awry in the brain and spinal cord. SPS is often misdiagnosed as Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, psychosomatic illness, or anxiety and phobia.

Treatment for stiff person syndrome is based on symptoms. The goal of treatment is to manage symptoms and improve mobility and comfort. Therapies may include benzodiazepines or baclofen to treat muscle stiffness and spasms. Anti-seizure drugs, anti-inflammatories, and corticosteroids. Other treatment options include intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), plasmapheresis, rituximab and autologous stem cell transplant.