Canadian singer Celine Dion said she has been diagnosed with a rare neurological disorder called Stiff Person Syndrome, leading her to postpone some European shows.
posted a video to Instagram on Thursday revealing the diagnosis and explaining that her "Courage World Tour" has been rescheduled from early 2023 to 2024.
The condition led her to postpone her Las Vegas residency in October 2021, but she had not publicly shared a diagnosis until now.
"While we're still learning about this rare condition, we now know this is what's been causing all of the spasms that I've been having," Dion said.
"Unfortunately, these 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."
Thanking her fans for their support, she became emotional.
"All I know is singing," the Grammy winner said.
What is Stiff Person Syndrome?
Stiff Person Syndrome is an incurable neurological disorder that causes muscle rigidity and increased sensitivity to sound, touch, and emotional stimuli that can catalyse muscle spasms.
The often painful spasms last minutes or even hours and can happen randomly or be triggered by events such as loud noises, light physical contact, stress or situations requiring a heightened emotional response, the US National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) said.
Around one in a million people are estimated to have the condition, according NORD. Women make up a majority of cases.
Symptoms develop over a matter of months or years, normally between the ages of 30 to 60, and can remain stable in some cases or get gradually worse in others.
The exact cause remains unknown, though it is thought to be an autoimmune disorder that sometimes occurs alongside other autoimmune conditions.
Can it be treated?
If left untreated, the syndrome can cause problems walking leading to the use of a wheelchair, and can significantly impact a person's ability to carry out daily tasks.
The only available treatments aim to manage the symptoms, for example commonly available drugs that lessen muscle stiffness and spasms.
Stretching, massage, acupuncture and other non-drug therapies are also often part of the mix, according to NORD.
Celine Dion is one of the best-selling musical artists of all time. Source: Getty / Ethan Miller
"I'm working hard with my sports medicine therapist every day to build back my strength and my ability to perform again," she said.
"But I have to admit it's been a struggle."
Who is Celine Dion?
Celine Dion was born on March 30, 1968, in Charlemagne, Québec.
At the age of 12 she wrote her first song, and released a series of French-language albums as a teenager during the 1980s.
She gained prominence after winning the Yamaha World Popular Song Festival in 1982 and the Eurovision Song Contest in 1988.
In the 1990s she achieved worldwide recognition after releasing several English-language albums and released numerous number one his including "Because I Loved You", "It's All Coming Back To Me Now", "The Power of Love" and "My Heart Will Go On".
She has sold more than 200 million records worldwide and won five Grammys.
