
Who is at risk of developing stiff person syndrome? Scott Newsome, director of the Stiff Person Syndrome Center, said in a video on the organization’s website.Īt times, people with stiff person syndrome may be afraid to leave their homes because “street noises, such as the sound of a car horn, can trigger spasms and falls,” the NINDS noted. “Many patients, if not all, have an anxiety that is intrinsic to the disease and that anxiety actually feeds on the physical ailments of the disease that people can have,” Dr. These spasms can be strong enough to fracture bone, and any fall can lead to severe injury.ĭion said in her December Instagram video that spasms affect “every aspect” of her 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. These spasms can be precipitated by startle, severe emotions, cold weather.” “Falls from severe spasms are very common. Emile Sami Moukheiber of the Stiff Person Syndrome Center at Johns Hopkins Medicine. These can cause falls, severe pain and significant disability,” said Dr. The condition typically begins with muscle stiffness in the middle part of the body, the trunk and abdomen, before advancing to stiffness and spasms in the legs and other muscles, according to the Cleveland Clinic.Ī doctor takes a patient's weight at during an appointment. Over time people with the condition can develop “hunched over postures,” the NINDS said. Stiff person syndrome is characterized by muscle rigidity and spasms, heightened sensitivity to stimuli such as sound and lights, and emotional distress that can cause muscle spasms, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. I want you all to know, I’m not giving up… and I can’t wait to see you again!” “It’s not fair to you to keep postponing the shows, and even though it breaks my heart, it’s best that we cancel everything now until I’m really ready to be back on stage again. I’m working really hard to build back my strength, but touring can be very difficult even when you’re 100%.

In the Instagram announcement of the tour’s cancellation, Dion is quoted as saying: “I’m so sorry to disappoint all of you once again. “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 at the time.ĭespite undergoing daily physical therapy, “she is in a lot of pain,” a source close to Dion told CNN.

(Photo by Alice Chiche / AFP) (Photo by ALICE CHICHE/AFP via Getty Images) Alice Chiche/AFP/Getty ImagesĬeline Dion cancels upcoming shows and ‘will likely never tour again,’ source saysĭion postponed several performances in December after learning the reason for her muscle pain and difficulties with mobility. Canadian singer Celine Dion performs on the opening night of her new world tour "Courage" at the Videotron Centre in Quebec City, Quebec, on September 18, 2019.
