What is Alan Jackson's health condition? What to know about Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease
The Grand Ole Opry's centennial celebration proved to be a night of emotional performances.
The live-concert took place at Nashville's Grand Ole Opry House and Ryman Auditorium Wednesday night, featuring stirring performances from some of country music's most renowned hitmakers, including Opry member and Grammy-award winning singer-songwriter, Alan Jackson.
Jackson returned to the iconic country stage to perform his 1993 hit "Chattahoochee."
The prolific country superstar is currently touring as part of his "Last Call: One More for the Road Tour" which he has described as the final opportunity for fans to see him perform. The tour began in 2022 and is set to continue through 2025.
Jackson's final tour continues amid his battle with a chronic neuropathy condition, which he first revealed in 2021. Here's what to know about Jackson's health condition.
More: The Grand Ole Opry is 100 years old. Here's everything you may, or may not, know about it
For over a decade, Jackson has battled Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease — a group of genetic conditions that affect the nerves connecting the brain and spinal cord to the rest of the body. The disease has affected his ability to move and stay balanced on stage.
In a 2021 interview with the "TODAY" show's Jenna Bush Hager, Jackson said he inherited the disease from his father, and it has affected several members of his family.
He was diagnosed with the disease in 2011.
"It's been affecting me for years, and it's getting more and more obvious," Jackson said. "And I know I'm stumbling around on stage and now I'm having a little trouble balancing even in front of the microphone, and so I just feel very uncomfortable, and I just want people to know that's why I look like I do."
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease causes a range of sensory and motor symptoms, including numbness, tingling, pain, muscle weakness and atrophy — deterioration in cells, tissues, and organs. The disease can also cause foot deformities that worsen over time.
In some cases, the disease can affect the nerves that control automatic body functions, leading to problems with sweating and dizziness.
Muscle weakness from the disease typically begins in the feet and lower legs during the teen years or early adulthood, though symptoms can appear at any age reported the institute. Over time, the weakness may spread to the fingers, hands, and arms. Some individuals with CMT might be unaware they have the condition, while others may experience physical disabilities.
Symptoms may include:
Weakness or paralysis in the foot and lower leg muscles
A high-stepping walking pattern with frequent tripping or falling
Balance problems
Foot deformities, like high arches and curled toes
Lower legs with an "inverted champagne bottle" shape due to the loss of muscle bulk
Trouble feeling heat, cold and touch
Possible hand weakness and atrophy
Decreased ability to sense vibrations or know body position
Scoliosis
Hip displacement
A chronic shortening of muscles or tendons around joints
Muscle cramps
Nerve pain
Charcot-Marie-Tooth is mostly an inherited disorder, meaning people with a family history of the disease are more likely to develop it. If a person has the disease, that doesn't mean their children will have it, but it does increase the risk, said the institute.
There is no cure for the disease, however treatment programs like physical and occupational therapy can help manage symptoms and help people maintain quality of life, said the institute.
Orthopedic devices and surgery may help with symptoms, and doctors may prescribe medication for severe nerve pain.
Diana Leyva covers trending news and service journalism for The Tennessean. Contact her at Dleyva@gannett.com or follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, at @_leyvadiana
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Alan Jackson's health: What to know about Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease
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