Celine Dion talks battle with Stiff-Person Syndrome, life in Las Vegas and more (2024)

FAQs

What is life expectancy for stiff person syndrome? ›

Patients typically present with initial symptoms between 40 and 60 years, although the onset has been reported in patients who are younger than 40 years and older than 60 years. From symptom onset to death, the course of SPS can range from 6-28 years.

These can be triggered by environmental stimuli (like loud noises) or emotional stress. The muscle spasms can be so severe that they cause the person to fall down. The muscles gradually relax after the stimulus is gone. These symptoms can lead to difficulty walking and, over time, even greater disability.

No treatment eliminates or cures SPS, but medications and other therapies can help manage symptoms and improve quality of life, and some treatments may help prevent disease progression.

People who have stiff person syndrome experience alternating rigidity and spasm in their muscles. Muscles can be so rigid that they feel like a board. And the muscle spasms, which are extremely painful and can be triggered by stress or other external factors, can create enough force to break bones.

According to MedicineNet, individuals diagnosed with stiff person syndrome can live between 6 to 28 years from the onset of symptoms before succumbing to the condition. While there is currently no cure for SPS, several treatments aim to manage symptoms or slow down the progression of the disorder.

Stiff person syndrome (SPS) is a rare chronic condition that causes muscle stiffness and painful muscle spasms. The severity of symptoms varies from person to person. There's no cure for SPS, but treatment can help manage symptoms and slow the progression of the syndrome.

Last year, Celine Dion revealed she was diagnosed with stiff-person syndrome, a rare neurological condition that causes muscular stiffness and spasms. In a new interview, Dion's sister Claudette told 7 Jours that the star's disorder had progressed and she can no longer control her muscles.

Background: Stiff person syndrome (SPS) is a rare neuroimmunological disorder presenting with a wide variety of signs and symptoms that mimic neuro-inflammatory diseases, such as multiple sclerosis (MS), thus delaying diagnosis.

This condition was formerly named stiff-man syndrome and is also known as Moersch-Woltman Syndrome. The current clinical classification of SPS includes: Classic SPS. Partial SPS variants. Progressive encephalomyelitis with rigidity and myoclonus (PERM).

According to medical research, people with SPS are gluten sensitive. Therefore, you should avoid gluten in your diet if you have stiff person syndrome.

Does stiff person syndrome cause dementia? ›

An elderly man with progressive dementia and concomitant development of stiff-man syndrome is described. He had not had stiff-man syndrome one year earlier, when he had only mild dementia. An association between stiff-man syndrome and dementia has not been previously described.

Eventually, of paramount importance, a gluten-free diet showed great results in patients with stiff-person syndrome. In a study including 20 patients with SPS, the patients were recommended to adopt a gluten-free diet.

Celine Dion talks battle with Stiff-Person Syndrome, life in Las Vegas and more. The singer got candid about her life in a new interview. Celine Dion is opening up about her battle with Stiff-Person Syndrome, life with her kids in Las Vegas, her plans to appear onstage again and more.

People with SPS initially experience muscle stiffness or discomfort. As the disease progresses, muscle spasms and rigidity become more pronounced. These muscle spasms can last anywhere from a few minutes to several hours, and are triggered by unexpected noises, physical contact, stress and/or emotional anxiety.

Stiff person syndrome is a rare disease affecting only one or two people per million. It commonly causes muscle stiffness and painful spasms that worsen over time. They can be triggered by a variety of things including sudden movement, cold temperature or unexpected loud noises.

Stiff person syndrome (SPS) is a rare acquired neurological disorder that most often causes progressive muscle stiffness (rigidity) and repeated episodes of painful muscle spasms. Muscular rigidity often fluctuates (i.e., grows worse and then improves) and usually occurs along with the muscle spasms.

SPS can be readily misdiagnosed as motor neuron disease (ALS or monomelic amyotrophy) if the clinical presentation of rigidity and exaggerated DTR is associated with LMN features.