Popular Canadian singer, Celine Dion has postponed her European Tour ‘Spring 2023’ due to a stiff-person syndrome which is a very rare neurological condition that causes progressive muscle stiffness as well as muscle spasms.
‼️ Celine Dion reschedules Spring 2023 shows to 2024, and cancels 8 of her summer 2023 shows. ‼️
"It hurts me to tell you that I won't be ready to restart my tour in Europe in February.” – Céline
Watch Celine’s message here 👉🏼https://t.co/7el0cJVM4I pic.twitter.com/C9I8NEL5bs
— Celine Dion (@celinedion) December 8, 2022
According to the US National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD), the condition affects approximately one in a million people.
Symptoms appear over months or years, usually between the ages of 30 and 60, and can be stable in some cases or gradually worsen in others.
According to NORD, the often painful muscle spasms can occur at random or be triggered by events such as loud noises, light physical contact, stress, or situations requiring a heightened emotional response.
If left untreated, the syndrome can cause walking difficulties, necessitating the use of a wheelchair, and can have a significant impact on a person’s ability to carry out daily tasks.
“While we’re still learning about this rare condition, we now know this is what’s been causing all of the spasms I’ve been having,” an emotional Dion said in an Instagram post on Thursday in which she also postponed or cancelled planned concerts across Europe.
“Unfortunately, the spasms affect every aspect of my daily life, sometimes causing difficulties when I walk and not allowing me to use my vocal cords to sing the way I’m used to,” she added.
“I have a great team of doctors working alongside me to help me get better,” Celine Dion also said.
“I’m working hard with my sports medicine therapist every day to build back my strength and my ability to perform again.”
Stiff-man syndrome
The condition, known as stiff-man syndrome, was first identified in 1956. The name has since been changed to reflect the fact that women make up the vast majority of cases.
The exact cause is unknown, but it is thought to be an autoimmune disorder that can occur in conjunction with other autoimmune conditions.
Stiff-person syndrome is diagnosed by testing for specific antibodies, such as GAD antibodies, and by performing an electromyography procedure, which measures electrical activity in muscles.
According to a study published earlier this week in the United States, the syndrome is frequently misdiagnosed as a variety of non-neurological conditions.
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