- symptoms
- Affected persons and diagnostics
- treatment options
- Conclusion
That stiff person syndrome (SPS for short, formerly also called Stiff Man Syndrome), a special one nervous diseaselast achieved by the singer Celine Dion notoriety. The fact that Dion has been suffering from this disease for over a year was only made known a few weeks ago. Due to the severe symptoms, she actually has to for 2023 partially cancel or postpone the planned European tour. In the following we explain more about the previously unknown disease.
symptoms
The disease can manifest itself in manifold symptoms to express. Those affected gradually develop one Stiffening and enlargement of muscles. To the main symptoms includes one in particular increased muscle tension with hardening of the affected muscles as well as a sense of rigidity. The area of the muscles close to the trunk.
The online health portal onmeda.de also describes that rigidity and shooting muscle spasms often symmetrical occur and can sometimes also occur on the feet, face, arms and hands. The reason for this is noisy onmeda.de a increased muscle tone, i.e. a basic state of tension of a muscle that is maintained even at rest, which increases more and more with increasing duration. Basically the arm and leg muscles but less affected.
the Stiff-Person Association Germany eV continues to mention on their website Gait disorders with gait blockages and falls, Skeletal Deformations, episodic autonomous dysregulation (e.g. profuse sweating or increased heart rate) and agoraphobic anxiety disorders (Fear of public places and crowds) as further symptoms of the disease. In addition, a damaged short-term memory and other cognitive impairments listed as frequently observed neurological symptoms.
Affected persons and diagnostics
Basically, stiff person syndrome counts as rare disease. One person per million inhabitants is newly diagnosed with this disease every year. On average, patients are 46 years old when they receive the diagnosis, according to the health portal onmeda.de writes. are there women affected more often as men. According to the medicine portal MSD manual Stiff person syndrome often occurs in people with type 1 diabetes, certain autoimmune diseases or certain types of cancer (e.g. breast cancer, lung cancer, kidney cancer, thyroid cancer, colon cancer and Hodgkin’s lymphoma).
One worsening of symptoms can by stress and external stimuli (e.g. loud noises, strong heat or cold) and some medicines be evoked. Those affected should possibly avoid reinforcing factors as much as possible.
for one diagnosis are neurological examinations necessary. Also typical changes in the electromyography (electrophysiological study of the affected muscles) and the Detection of certain typical antibodies in the blood or cerebrospinal fluid can indicate the disease, such as the German Brain Foundation writes on their website.
treatment methods
That main focus is based on the treatment of stiff person syndrome relief of symptomshowever, is also one causal therapy possibleas the Stiff-Person Association Germany eV explained on their website.
As part of the symptomatic therapy are often given to patients relaxant drugs administered to the muscle stiffness as far as possible too to reduce. One causal treatment method can against about immunosuppressive therapies take place, in which parts of the suppressed immune system of those affected will.
However, it is important to note that both disease-causing mechanisms as well as Symptoms vary from individual to individual be able. On individual treatment plan for the individual patients is therefore necessary. To support the therapy, affected persons, as already mentioned above, should pay attention to to avoid reinforcing factors in everyday life as much as possible.
Conclusion
As you can see in this brief account of the condition, stiff person syndrome is one complex autoimmune inflammatory disease of the central nervous system. Even if this is a very rare disease, it now has one thanks to the prominent patient Celine Dion greater media attention receive. Due to strong symptoms, patients are in their everyday life usually very limited. In the context of treatment, it is particularly important to Treatment plan tailored to the symptoms that occur and individual needs to align with the individual.
