Celine Dion has started a new treatment to try to fight against the rare neurological disease, called stiff person syndrome, which has kept her away from the scene for several months.
- Celine Dion has a rare neurological condition called stiff person syndrome.
- The singer joined the Mayo Clinic in Rochester to follow a new treatment.
- It is based on an intrathecal injection, dietary advice, help with rehabilitation of stress and physical exercises and an experimental pain treatment.
After months of rumors about her state of health, Celine Dion revealed in December 2022 to be suffering from a “a very rare neurological disorder called stiff-person syndrome, which affects around one in a million people”. According to information from Closerthe singer was supported by the American establishment Mayo Clinic in Rochester (Minessota, USA) to test a new treatment.
Celine Dion: an experimental treatment to fight against her rare disease
In an attempt to combat the muscle spasms that forced her to cancel her tour, the Quebecer received a “complete review of the means of treating this neurological pathology”according to the magazine.
She would have already received “an intrathecal injection, a process which consists in injecting a drug at the lumbar level to reach the cerebrospinal fluid, which will in turn diffuse the product”.
The protocol implemented also includes “diet advice”a “help with stress rehabilitation and physical exercises to better counter the pain”. She also follows an “experimental treatment”. According to information from Closer, he is at “base of magnesium and glycine”. The objective of the latter is to “relieve his neuropathic pain and fight against the symptoms of stress and anxiety”.
Stiff person syndrome: what is this pathology that affects the muscles?
Stiff-person syndrome is a neurological condition that primarily affects the muscles of the trunk and abdomen. They gradually become stiffer and hypertrophied. Limb muscles are usually less affected. “In principle, stiff-person syndrome progresses, culminating in full-body disability and stiffness”precise the MSD manual on its website.
Currently, there is no curative treatment. The drugs relieve and reduce the symptoms of the pathology such as the muscle spasms from which Celine Dion suffers, but also the muscle stiffness or the increased sensitivity to external stimuli which aggravates the contractions.
“Stiff-person syndrome is more common in women and often develops in people with type 1 diabetes, certain autoimmune diseases (such as thyroiditis), or certain types of cancer, including breast cancer. (most commonly), lung cancer, kidney cancer, thyroid cancer, colon cancer, and Hodgkin’s lymphoma”warns the MSD manual.
