There are fears about Celine Dion's singing voice as an expert revealed how the voice can become 'fragmented' as a result of the incurable battle with stiff person syndrome.
The 55-year-old singer suffers from a neurological condition called stiff person syndrome (SPS), which is progressive and incurable and causes the body to attack its own nerve cells.
Her sister Claudette has now claimed that Celine no longer has 'control over her muscles', poignantly adding that 'the vocal cords are muscles' as she gave an update on the star's condition.
A professor of neurology recently talked about how patients with SPS voices can become 'fragmented' and said that singers in particular can have more 'spasms' in the vocal cords.
Meanwhile, fans have also shared their hopes that Celine will be able to return to the stage after having to cancel her world tour last December.
There have been fears about Celine Dion's singing voice (she is pictured in 2016) as an expert told how the voice can become 'fragmented' due to the incurable battle with stiff person syndrome
Celine, who released a single titled Love Again earlier this year, recently said the spasms don't allow her to “use my vocal cords to sing like I'm used to.”
And neurology professor Dr. Marinos Dalakas told it CTVNews how some of his patients with SPS struggle with muscle stiffness and 'fragmented' voices.
Dr. Dalakas, a professor of neurology at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, spoke specifically in April about how a singer's voice can be affected by SPS.
“If this affects the diaphragm, or the muscles of the larynx or the muscles of the vocal cords, the voice becomes very thin, does not come out strongly, but is fragmented,” he said.
'The singers may be more affected by the stiffness and because the voice is so important to them, the spasms are more concentrated there.'
After Celine's sister gave a heartbreaking update on her health, fans also took to social media to share their messages of support with the star.
They sent the beloved My Heart Will Go On hitmaker kind messages and also shared their hopes that she could return to the stage.
One wrote: 'Prayers for Celine Dion, her voice is and was so beautiful, I'm sad to see her go through this.'
Another said: 'Sending love and prayers to the legendary Celine Dion. one of the best vocals of all time.'
A professor recently talked about how patients with SPS voices can become 'fragmented' and said singers in particular can have more 'cramps' in the vocal cords (Celine is pictured in 2019)
Meanwhile, fans have also shared their hopes that Celine will be able to return to the stage after having to cancel her world tour in December last year.
While a third shared their hopes, adding: 'Hope Celine Dion gets to take the stage and sing again.'
Celine's sister Claudette, 74, suggested it could be some time before Celine returns to the stage after her battle with the neurological condition.
'She works hard, but she has no control over her muscles. What breaks my heart is that she has always been disciplined,” Claudette told 7 Jours.
'She has always worked hard. Our mother always told her, “You're going to do well, you're going to do well.”
She continued: “It is true that in our dreams as well as in hers, the goal is to return to the stage. In what capacity? Don't know.'
Although research into the condition is ongoing, its rarity means progress has been slow.
Claudette added, “The vocal cords are muscles, and the heart is a muscle too. This is what's coming for me. Because it's a 1 in a million case, the scientists didn't do that much research because it didn't affect that many people.”
Claudette previously revealed that despite working with “the best researchers in the field,” her sister has seen little improvement in her health.
She told Le Journal de Montreal: “We can't find any medicine that works, but having hope is important.”
In October, Claudette said Celine was not yet dependent on a wheelchair to get around and was still planning to perform again.
People suffering from Stiff Person Syndrome (SPS) can turn patients into 'human statues', causing them to have difficulty walking or talking.
The condition, which is thought to affect only one in a million people, can also lead to spasms that generate enough force to break bones.
Typically, patients are diagnosed around the age of 30-50, and they are usually women.
The star first announced her diagnosis in December 2022 via a tearful Instagram post, and months later she canceled her world tour, which was set to kick off in late 2023.
Celine also opened up about how the condition had affected her singing voice as she shared the devastating news with her fans.
She wrote: 'Hi everyone, I'm sorry it's taken me so long to get back to you. I miss you all so much and can't wait to talk to you on stage in person.
Celine's sister Claudette, 74, suggested it may be a while before Celine returns to the stage after her battle with the neurological condition (Celine is pictured in 2020)
“As you know, I've always been an open book and wasn't ready to say anything before, but now I'm ready.
'I have been dealing with issues with my health for a long time, and it has been very difficult for me to face my challenges and talk about everything I have been through.
'I was recently diagnosed with a very rare neurological condition, stiff person syndrome, which affects one in a million people.
'While we are still learning about this rare condition, we now know that it is the cause of all the spasms I have had.'
Celine went on to talk about the impact the condition has had on her: 'Unfortunately these spasms affect every aspect of my daily life, sometimes causing problems when walking and preventing me from using my vocal cords to sing as I normally do. .
“It pains me to tell you today that this means I will not be ready to resume my tour of Europe in February.
“I have an amazing team of doctors working alongside me to help me get better, and my precious children supporting and helping me.
'I work hard every day with my sports medicine doctor to rebuild my strength and my ability to perform, but I have to admit it has been a struggle.
'All I know is singing, that's what I've done all my life and what I love to do most.
'I miss you very much. I miss seeing you all on stage performing for you. I always give 100 percent when I do my show, but my condition now allows me to give that to you now.
“In order to reach you again, I have no choice but to focus on my health at this time, and I am hopeful that I am on the road to recovery.
'This is my focus and I am doing everything I can to recover.
'I would like to thank you so much for your wishes, love and support on my social media. This means a lot to me.
'Take care of yourself. It goes well. I love you guys so much and I really hope I can see you again soon.”