Celine Dion loses control of her muscles amid battle with rare neurological disorder, sister says
FILE-Singer Celine Dion performs onstage during the 2016 Billboard Music Awards at T-Mobile Arena on May 22, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Celine Dion does not have control of her muscles as she battles a rare neurological disorder, her sister told a news outlet.
Claudette Dion shared with Canadian website 7 Jours the update on her sister’s condition while adding that the singer is disciplined and is a hard worker, and hopes to make a comeback to the stage, but it’s unclear what a comeback may look like given the effects of the disease, Forbes reported.
A few months ago, Claudette described the spams her sister experienced during an August interview with Hello! Magazine and shared that there was very little the family could do to help lessen her pain due to the disorder.
RELATED: Celine Dion reveals rare neurological disorder, reschedules 2023 tour dates
In 2022, Celine Dion revealed that she was diagnosed with a rare neurological disorder in a tearful video shared with fans, adding that some concert dates have either been rescheduled or canceled.
The singer also revealed that she was diagnosed with stiff-person syndrome (SPS), which she explained had been causing severe muscle spasms. SPS is a rare, progressive syndrome that affects the nervous system, specifically the brain and spinal cord, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Symptoms can include "extreme muscle stiffness, rigidity and painful spasms in the trunk and limbs, severely impairing mobility," the NIH said. Spasms can generate enough force to fracture a bone.
Moreover, there are multiple forms of the syndrome, but the most common in patients is "Classic SPS," in which patients describe difficulties bending and turning and feeling that they walk like a "tin-man," the NIH notes.
FOX Television Stations national reporter Kelly Hayes contributed to this report. This story was reported from Washington, D.C.