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in collaboration with
Dr Gérald Kierzek (Medical Director of Doctissimo)
The state of health of Celine Dion worries her fans. And for good reason: her ENT doctor, Dr. Jean Abitbol, revealed that she suffered from a strange disorder: globus syndrome.
For more than two years, Celine Dion has had serious health problems, which prevent her from singing and which forced her to postpone her tour. According to Dr. Jean Abitbol, the star suffers from globus syndrome.
A lump in the throat
In a book published by Robert Laffont editions “Céline Dion: the real story”, Dr. Jean Abitbol explains that the interpreter of the song “My Heart Will Go On” suffers from “a feeling of a lump in the throat when there really isn’t one”.
He specifies that when one is affected by this syndrome “You feel a feeling of lump in the throat as well as kinds of spasms which generally occur when you have lived through a period of relatively aggressive stress.“.
The Edimark site (publisher of specialized medical press) gives the following definition:
“The globus syndrome corresponds to a permanent or intermittent sensation of stricture in the throat. Nearly half of the general population presents symptoms equivalent to the globus and this table constitutes more than 4% of the reasons for consultation in ENT.”
A syndrome, which has direct repercussions on Celine Dion’s voice, since she has difficulty speaking and singing.
If this disorder is benign, it must however be the subject of a diagnosis, in order to eliminate all other organic causes.
“This functional disorder may be the consequence of GERD or another ENT health problem. Once these causes are eliminated, and only then can the diagnosis of globus syndrome be confirmed. Regarding the causes, this lump in the throat can be linked to stress, menopause, a form of underlying depression…”, reveals Dr. Kierzek.
For the moment, no drug has proven its effectiveness in the treatment of globus syndrome. Nevertheless, psychological support can help the patient, with the intervention of a psychiatrist if necessary.