What is stiff-person syndrome, the disorder impacting Céline Dion's ability to sing? - CBS News

Céline Dion diagnosed with neurological syndrome

Céline Dion announces diagnosis of stiff-person syndrome 00:28

Céline Dion revealed successful an affectional and tear-filled announcement on Thursday that she had to postpone her upcoming European circuit aft being diagnosed with a "very uncommon neurological disorder": stiff-person syndrome. 

The debilitating unwellness has impacted her quality to sing and walk. 

According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, stiff-person syndrome, different known arsenic Moersch-Woltman syndrome, is simply a "rare neurological upset with features of an autoimmune disease." The unwellness causes the assemblage to go rigid and much delicate to noise, interaction and affectional distress. That heightened sensitivity tin origin musculus spasms, arsenic good arsenic "hunched implicit and stiffened" postures," according to the institute. 

The musculus spasms, which Dion said she has experienced, "can beryllium truthful convulsive they tin dislocate joints and adjacent interruption bones," according to the Stiff Person Syndrome Research Foundation. 

Dion said the spasms person affected "every aspect" of her regular life, from causing problems with her quality to locomotion to preventing her from utilizing her vocal cords to sing the mode she is utilized to.

Celine Dion performs during "One World: Together At Home" presented by Global Citizen connected April, 18, 2020.  Getty Images for Global Citizen

The disorder, which impacts doubly arsenic galore women arsenic men, according to the institute, causes galore radical to go excessively disabled to "walk oregon move." Many radical are "afraid to permission the house," the institute adds, "because thoroughfare noises, specified arsenic the dependable of a horn tin trigger spasms and falls," its researchers say. 

Fewer than 5,000 people in the U.S. are believed to person the disorder, according to the Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center.     

However, small is known astir it. It is often misdiagnosed arsenic different autoimmune disorders, specified arsenic Parkinson's disease oregon a operation of anxiety and phobia. But researchers judge it could beryllium caused alternatively by an "awry" bodily effect successful the encephalon and spinal cord. 

Treatment for the ailment typically includes precocious doses of diazepam, different known arsenic Valium, which is often utilized to assistance relieve anxiousness and intoxicant withdrawal, according to the Mayo Clinic. Those with stiff-person syndrome besides often instrumentality "several anti-convulsants," including gabapentin and tiagabine, the institute said. 

While Dion has not revealed her circumstantial treatment, she said she is moving with a sports medicine therapist and a "great squad of doctors." 

Treatment tin assistance amended the symptoms, but determination is nary cure for the disorder. 

In:
• Stiff-Person Syndrome
• Celine Dion
• Health Care