Celine Dion performs in concert at American Airlines Arena as part of her Courage World Tour in Miami on January 17, 2020. – © Backgrid USA / Bestimage
Celine Dion, who suffers from Siff Male Syndrome, spoke about her health condition in an interview with TF1 during the June 25 I Am. “Celine Dion” on the occasion of the release of the documentary film.
“This is a disease that I will live with for the rest of my life. » In an interview with Anne-Claire Coudray On June 16th, on TF1’s “Journal de 20 Heures,” Celine Dion broke the news about her health. Suffering from stiff man syndrome, a rare neurological disease, for “almost 17 years,” the Quebecois singer confided that she has a body and voice that has “hardened up.” “Everything stops working, it can be a few minutes, but it can be hours,” she explained, adding that her immune system “isn’t strong enough to fight and protect” and that she sometimes “loses consciousness”.
In a video published on social networks a year and a half ago. Celine Dion discovered that he suffered from a rare neurological disease that made him cancel most of the concerts scheduled for his world tour In 2023. “I am extremely sad to have to tell you today that I won’t be ready to resume my European tour in February “, the world star announced in this video.
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One person in a million
This syndrome affects one in a million people. In the most severe cases, this leads to “a severe limitation of the patient’s mobility and autonomy”, we can read in the “Swiss Medical Forum”.
People with this syndrome have “antibodies that attack an enzyme called glutamic acid decarboxylase,” which specifically helps prevent nerves from overstimulating muscles. we can read in the “ISD Manua, a global directory of medical information. “When less amount of this enzyme is produced, the nerves overstimulate the muscles, which become tense and stiff,” the website explains.
This diagnosis led to the spasms that Celine Dion suffers from and which “affect (her) daily life on several levels, I have a lot of difficulty walking and I can’t always use my vocal cords to sing like I want to.” like it,” he said in the same video. This syndrome is twice as common in women as in men.
“Continuous Struggle”
“I have an amazing team of doctors by my side who are treating me so I can get better,” Celine Dion detailed. Symptomatic treatment exists for this syndrome, particularly with sedatives or muscle relaxants. “I’m training every day with my sports medicine therapist to get my strength and stamina back to allow me to perform again,” reassured the star, who admitted it was “a constant battle”.