Neurologist Dr. Scott Newsome, director of the Johns Hopkins Stiff Person Syndrome Center, explains the popular singer's diagnosis.

In the realm of rare diseases, Stiff Person Syndrome (SPS) stands out as a perplexing and debilitating condition that affects a tiny fraction of the population. Often misdiagnosed and misunderstood, SPS has only recently gained attention after Grammy Award-winning singer, Celine Dion, divulged her diagnosis of the rare neurological disease.

SPS, though uncommon, carries a profound impact on the lives of those it afflicts. Characterized by episodes of muscle stiffness and spasms, and often accompanied by debilitating pain, SPS can significantly impair mobility and daily functioning. While a definitive cause remains unknown, many theorize it to be an autoimmune disorder that attacks the neurological system. Like many other autoimmune and neurological disorders, SPS leaves patients and health care providers grappling with uncertainty.

SPS most commonly develops in people ages 40 to 50. It is more often diagnosed in women than men, and is thought to affect one to two people in a million. However, SPS specialists now consider SPS to be on a spectrum of disorders, meaning it may be more common than originally believed to be.

CELINE DION HOPES TO KEEP........

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