It feels like being strangled, says Celine Dion on rare illness

Celine Dion, the ace Canadian singer, has detailed the challenges of living with a rare neurological condition.

In December 2022, Celine announced her diagnosis of stiff person syndrome (SPS), a rare neurological disorder causing uncontrollable muscle tension.

Claudette Dion, her elder sister, also revealed that the singer lost control of her muscles in December 2023.

In April, the 56-year-old also disclosed that she was learning to live with the condition as she had not beaten it.

There is currently no cure for SPS.

In a recent interview with NBC, Dion said the illness feels like “somebody is strangling me”.

She said sometimes when it gets too severe, she suffers from broken ribs and cramping.

“It is like somebody is strangling you. It is like somebody is pushing your larynx/pharynx. It was like talking like that, and you cannot go high or lower,” she said.

“It feels like, if I point my feet, they will stay in that position. Or, if I cook, because I love to cook, my fingers, my hands, will get in position.

“It is cramping but it is like in a position where you cannot unlock them. I have broken ribs at one point because sometimes when it is very severe, it can break.”