Celine Dion and the fight with Stiff Person Syndrom (SPS)
From the news of Celine Dion, one of the legendary Divas of the world, who came out to reveal that she is fighting with Stiff Person Syndrome (SPS), or "the stiff person disease", the whole world has come to know the identity of this rare disease more.
The case of Celine Dion reflects the severity of this disease clearly. From an artist who has to use her body and her voice heavily on stage, SPS has had a direct effect on her performance and on her ability to use her voice, leading to the cancellation of her concert tour. This is an important case study that lets us see how severely this disease affects the life of a patient.
What is Stiff Person Syndrome (SPS)
Stiff Person Syndrome (SPS) is a disease of the central nervous system, believed to arise from the body's immune system creating antibodies (most often Anti-GAD) that disturb the working of the neurotransmitters in the brain and the spinal cord, which have the duty of controlling the movement of the muscles. Besides this, SPS is a disease that is met very rarely, with a chance of being met of only 1 in a million.
The most prominent symptom is stiffness of the muscles (Stiffness), particularly in the area of the central axis of the trunk and the legs, together with spasms (Spasms) that are severe and painful, which may be triggered easily by a loud sound, touch, or even a change of mood. This stiffness and spasm has a heavy effect on daily living, making walking difficult, creating a risk of falling easily, giving rise to anxiety about being in society, and in severe cases it may affect speaking, swallowing, or breathing.
The treatment of Stiff Person Syndrome (SPS)
SPS is a chronic illness that is difficult to cure completely. What the doctor can do for a patient with this disease is to control the symptoms, reduce the pain, and raise the quality of life as much as possible. The treatment requires several methods used alongside one another (Transdisciplinary Approach).
After the disease itself has been controlled with medicine, the important part that will help in restoring from the symptoms of the disease is designing a programme specific to each patient, with techniques of physiotherapy and occupational therapy, whether it be
- Reducing the stiffness and maintaining the range of movement (Range of Motion): preventing a state of contracture of the joints from stiffness over a long period
- Training balance and preventing falls: increasing the stability of the central axis of the trunk and the legs
- Building up the strength of the muscles overall: in order to maintain muscle mass
- Training the use of the hands and the arms: in order to maintain the joints of the arms, the hands and the fingers, for daily living
That said, PYONG Rehabilitation Clinic provides a service in neurorehabilitation (Neurorehabilitation) by expert physicians, who can give a consultation and help plan integrated treatment, in order to relieve the symptoms and reduce the burden on the carer.
- Managing the stiffness and the pain: using modern rehabilitation technology
- Giving advice to the carer: teaching techniques of helping and of arranging the environment correctly
- Caring for health holistically: emphasising the restoration of the nervous system, geriatric medicine, and the management of chronic pain