‘It is like somebody is strangling you’ Celine Dion shares how Stiff Person Syndrome affects her

In an interview with NBC News, Dion revealed that the condition has been so severe on her that the strong muscle spasms that come with it led to broken ribs. 

“I had broken ribs at one point, because sometimes when it’s very severe … it’s like somebody is strangling you, like someone is pushing your larynx," Dion said.

The songstress added that she can only speak at a certain pitch lest she feels strangled. 

“But it can also be in the abdominal area, in the spine, in the ribs. It’s cramping, but it’s like in a position of, like, you cannot unlock them,” she added.

Dion had early revealed that she undergoes physical and vocal therapy five times a week for the rare and incurable syndrome.

In 2023, she was forced to cancel her world tours due to health conditions as she battles the syndrome.

Dion is known for her hit songs that catapulted her to global fame. Sometimes referred to as the "Queen of Power Ballads", she is particularly renowned for her powerful and technically skilled vocals. 

Her music incorporated genres like pop, R&B, rock, gospel and classical music.

Dion says she looks forward to one day make it back to the music stage where her light shone the brightest.