View Collection
Celine Dion54 years old, canceled her upcoming 2023 European dates Courage world tour and in her tearful explanation, shared with her Instagram page on Thursday, December 8, she revealed that she is suffering from a rare and incurable disease called Rigid Person Syndrome. Celine explains that ‘Stiff Person Syndrome’ has caused her spasms, which have affected her “daily life”, from walking to her ability to use her vocal cords to sing. To learn more about Celine’s terrifying diagnosis, hollywood life talked EXCLUSIVELY with the world famous neuroscientist Dr. Satonsh Kesari, MD, PhD, of Providence Saint John Medical Center in Santa Monica. The lead neurologist, who did not treat Celine, is also the Regional Medical Director of Providence Southern California’s Clinical Research Institute.
HL: Do you think Celine can sing again?
Dr. Kesari: “I think so. There are so many treatments that can help and I think she just has to go through them one by one and figure out which will help improve the disease and prevent it…I don’t want to say we can’t rule it out. 100% of treatments for symptoms, but we can make them improve dramatically. However, there are patients who also do not respond, or their healing is slow, even with treatment. So we need to better understand this and we need more research to find a real cure.”
HL: Celine talked about how this affects her vocal cords, can you explain why that happens?
Dr. Kesari: “It is a systemic disease, so different muscles can be affected to varying degrees in each person and she will obviously notice any slight change in her voice. own if it is affected. So even a little inflammation in those muscles can cause serious problems for her.”
HL: How is the treatment and how long will she be able to sing again?
Dr. Kesari: “While we do not fully understand the causes of Stiff Person Syndrome, there are actually many treatments that can be used and have been shown to be beneficial. We start with broad things like steroids, immune system suppressants. Another option that may be helpful is plasmapheresis, [similar to a blood transfusion] where you change and get rid of the bad immunoglobulins that are attacking the neuromuscular region by injecting the immunoglobulins into a vein. That can rebalance the immune system, so to speak. There are also newer drugs used for other autoimmune disorders [like Lupus and Multiple Sclerosis] can be used in this disorder. In rare cases, they’ve also done stem cell transplants, which, you know, essentially replace your immune system, and in those cases, the patients fail. with everything else having a positive effect. There are many things that help quickly and some things that help slowly over time, it really depends. And sometimes one approach works better for one person than another.”
HL: What causes Stiff Person Syndrome?
Dr. Kesari: “Stretch person syndrome is an autoimmune disorder, which means that the immune system for some reason is attacking the person’s own body and damaging the neuromuscular junction, connections from nerve signals to muscles, allowing us to move our limbs. That is why patients may present with a wide range of symptoms such as stiffness or weakness or muscle pain and spasms. There may be a genetic predisposition. And it goes hand in hand with other autoimmune disorders as well. A high percentage of patients with Stiff Person Syndrome may have diabetes, such as type 1 diabetes.”
HL: Why is it called Stiff Person Syndrome?
Dr. Kesari: “The patient becomes stiff and unable to move freely as usual. In severe cases left untreated, especially if real back muscles are involved, then you know, you will be very limited in your movements. And like a statue, you cannot move, so to speak. It depends on which muscles it affects, but it can make it difficult to talk, eat and everything. That is why there is an analogy to a statue, because left untreated, if all your muscles become stiff, you will move like a statue. In some older cases, that’s how they come out and that’s why it’s called Stiff Person Syndrome, because you’re completely stiff, in severe cases.”
HL: Would a healthy diet and exercise help?
Dr. Kesari: “As we age, the immune system ages too. Regular exercise and healthy eating will maintain a good immune system, so that the disease does not decline. I’ve had patients with chronic autoimmune disorders and we do all our standard treatments to help, but they still need treatment. And some of them have changed their diet in a very important way and that has actually reduced the incidence of immune system problems, including problems with the immune system. their nerves. They adopted a healthy, green, fresh, organic diet. No preservatives. Fewer carbs. Lots of vegetables and fruits.”
HL: What symptoms might Celine experience before getting medical help and what happens if Stiff Person Syndrome is left untreated?
Dr. Kesari: “Symptoms are feeling stiff, muscle aches, feeling weak and even sometimes muscle spasms. There can be symptoms that are difficult to detect for months and even years before being diagnosed. And, other times, it can have a more acute onset, lasting weeks and months with symptoms getting worse and worse. In those cases, it is usually diagnosed much more quickly due to the severity and rapidity of the symptoms. In some cases, they can be so bad that it limits your ability to work, travel, or take care of yourself. Because this numbness can affect your entire body and can be so bad that you can’t walk and move. In more severe versions of the syndrome, you may not be able to feed yourself.”
Click to subscribe to our free HollywoodLife daily newsletter to get the most famous news.
