Céline Dion recently opened up about struggling with stiff person syndrome and how it affects her voice.
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, “Stiff person syndrome (SPS) is a rare autoimmune neurological disorder that most commonly causes muscle stiffness and painful spasms that come and go and can worsen over time. However, some people experience other symptoms such as an unsteady gait, double vision or slurred speech.”
Dion spoke to NBC News‘ Hoda Kotb in a televised interview. The Today show previewed the conversation this morning, airing a clip of Dion talking about her voice struggles from SPS.
“It’s like somebody is strangling you. It’s like somebody is pushing your larynx/pharynx,” she said, demonstrating it by raising her voice. “It was like talking like that, and you cannot go high or lower.”
“It gets into a spasm,” Dion continued. “It started [in the throat]. [And I thought], ‘No, okay, it’s gonna be fine.’ But it can also be the abdominal, can be in the spine, can be in the ribs.”
Céline Dion Opens Up About Stiff Person Syndrome
Céline added that it often feels like her bones will lock into place due to stiff person syndrome.
“It feels like, if I point my feet, they will stay in [that position],” Dion stated. “Or, if I cook — because I love to cook — my fingers, my hands, will get in position … It’s cramping but it’s like in a position where you cannot unlock them.”
Dion added that at one point, the condition even led to broken ribs.
“Sometimes when it’s very severe, it can break,” she said.
Fans showered the singer with encouragement on X.
“I love Céline Dion she is a Canadian legend,” one person wrote. “I hope her health can improve. It takes courage to talk about your health to world. She is an amazing woman.”
“This is tragic 😥,’ another person added. “I hope they find a cure or at least a form of relief for her.”