Sia Turns 49
- As singer-songwriter Sia has just celebrated her 49th birthday, we’re reminded how the Australian native has remained resilient throughout the years while living with “chronic pain” from a neurological disease, and a rare tissue disorder known as Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS). She revealed she had EDS in 2019.
- Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, as per Medline Plus, is “a group of disorders that affect connective tissues supporting the skin, bones, blood vessels, and many other organs and tissues,” additionally, “Defects in connective tissues cause the signs and symptoms of these conditions, which range from mildly loose joints to life-threatening complications.”
- Sia is not alone when it comes to living with chronic pain. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 20% of Americans are living day-to-day with chronic pain.
- It’s important to remember that life doesn’t slow down for a health diagnosis, but that doesn’t have to be a bad thing. In fact, our experts say that prioritizing your overall wellbeing and continuing to do the things you love, like spending time with animals, like the dogs sia has, can be very beneficial.
According to Medline Plus, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, which leads to chronic pain in 90 percent of those living with the disease, like Sia, “is a group of disorders that affect connective tissues supporting the skin, bones, blood vessels, and many other organs and tissues. Defects in connective tissues cause the signs and symptoms of these conditions, which range from mildly loose joints to life-threatening complications.”
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Sia, who was born on Dec. 18, 1975, in Adelaide, South Australia to her musician dad and her art lecturer mom, reshared a sweet video clip of her showing her fans the challenge, admitting “it’s tougher than it looks.” She first shared the footage back in 2020.
Before she’s seen struggling to sing the lyrics on only one breath and breaking out into laughter, she said, “Guys, I can’t even do it in one breath.”
One of her fans commented, “I listen to your songs every day, your songs inspire me so much, I love you so much and may God continue to bless you and may you never stop being this beautiful and kind girl.”
It’s been seven years since Sia’s “Everyday Is Christmas” album, her eighth studio album and first Christmas album, was released in November 2017, and we’re glad to see her music maintaining popularity throughout the holiday season.
Sia has continued to create music for her fans throughout the years and on May 31, 2024, she released her tenth studio album titled, “Reasonable Woman.”
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As Sia’s music continues to inspire fans across the globe and bring everyone holiday cheer, she appears to be coping well while living with “chronic pain,” and it appears she’s doing so with three adorable dogs by her side.
Back in June, Sia commemorated National Best Friends Day with her sweet dogs and shared a family photo to her Instagram account.
Her social media page captioned the post, “Today is National Best Friends Day, and Sia wanted to celebrate by sharing a pic of her rescue brood (Dingus, Cereal + Oogie).
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“Our pets are our best friends and family, and we want to keep them safe + loved. Adopt, don’t shop #bringlovehome and consider making a donation to @bestfriendsanimalsociety today – Team Sia.”
Sia may also have more dogs, as she shared an earlier post of five dogs sitting on her couch, writing, “Please rescue and adopt! Everybody needs more dog in their life! Thank you Oogie my precious little tap dancer who in spite of being paralyzed in the back legs just came into our lives and elevated us all.
“Dingus for helping me set boundaries, Mitzi for being my original diaper girl aged 23, Cereal for alerting me to intruders, and my niece Ruby who is an excellent kisser.”
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Sia’s Battle With a Neurological Disease & Chronic Pain
Sia previously revealed how she’s been suffering with a neurological disease and chronic pain.
According to People, she wrote in an October 2019 Twitter (now known as “X”) post, which is no longer available, she said, “Hey, I’m suffering with chronic pain, a neurological disease, ehlers danlos and I just wanted to say to those of you suffering from pain, whether physical or emotional, I love you, keep going.
“Life is (f—ing) hard. Pain is demoralizing, and you’re not alone.”
Sia later offered more insight into her neurological and mental health struggles, as per the Los Angeles Times, revealing she was taking time to undergo treatment for complex post-traumatic stress disorder and has developed a condition called neuralgia, which Medline Plus describes as pain caused by damaged or irritated nerves.
Medline Plus explains neuralgia is “a sharp, shocking pain that follows the path of a nerve and is due to irritation or damage to the nerve.” Symptoms of neuralgia may include increased sensitivity of the skin on the path of the damaged nerve, pain along the nerve path that is stabbing or sharp, and weakness or complete paralysis of muscles.
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Referring to her neurological disorder, she explained, “If you’d like more information it’s neuralgia caused by a routine surgery three years ago. I’m also taking time off to do intensive therapy on Complex PTSD. Turns out my bipolar 2 diagnosis [something she opened up about years ago] was wrong.”
“Plenty of people suffering more than me,” she wrote on social media, as per the Los Angeles Times report. “At least I have resources. I really feel for those struggling w/the healthcare system. KEEP GOING!”
As for the Ehlers-Danlos syndrome she’s also living with, Medline Plus explains it as “a group of disorders that affect connective tissues supporting the skin, bones, blood vessels, and many other organs and tissues,” adding, “Defects in connective tissues cause the signs and symptoms of these conditions, which range from mildly loose joints to life-threatening complications.”
According to Ehlers-danlos.com, this condition is a grouping of 13 heritable connective tissue disorders. Symptoms include joint hypermobility, skin hyperextensibility, and tissue fragility.
The conditions are caused by genetic changes that affect connective tissue. Each type of EDS has its own set of features with distinct diagnostic criteria. Some features are seen across all types of EDS, including joint hypermobility, skin hyperextensibility, and tissue fragility.
Coping Mechanisms for Pain Management
Sia is not alone when it comes to living with chronic pain. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 20% of Americans are living day-to-day with chronic pain.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is conducting basic pain research to develop strategies and potential medications to better manage pain. The research focuses on key areas including facial pain and how – in some cases – protein increases sensitivity to painful and nonpainful stimuli.
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Research involving mice indicates that rodents with high levels of Cdk5 (a type of protein called cyclin-dependent kinase 5) showed larger calcium surges, indicating that their pain responses were intensified.
“This heightened pain sensitivity is similar to a condition called allodynia. Allodynia causes pain in response to something that isn’t typically painful. The research team was able to reduce pain signaling in those oversensitive mice by blocking their Cdk5,” NIH Distinguished Investigator Dr. Kenneth M. Yamada explained.
Other areas of research include learning how sound reduces pain and ongoing clinical trials studying pain perception and lower back pain.
Of course, pain management comes with risks especially when powerful painkillers such as opioids are involved. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends seeking treatment opinions that don’t involve opioids to treat pain when viable. Medicines like over-the-counter painkillers including acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and naproxen have fewer side effects. Other alternatives to opioids include physical therapy and exercise.
Animals and Healing
It is often said that animals improve our quality of life, and that can especially be true for people battling cancer, or living with a disease and chronic pain.
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We often need to keep going, and there have been studies showing the power of passion of positivity affecting the outcome of your disease. What still brings you joy? It’s important to do things to feed your emotional health just as much as your physical.
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It’s important to remember that life doesn’t slow down for a cancer diagnosis, but that doesn’t have to be a bad thing. In fact, our experts say that prioritizing your overall wellbeing and continuing to do the things you love, like spending time with animals, can be very beneficial.
For those without dogs at home, more and more often we are seeing chemotherapy centers and hospitals bringing dogs in to meet with patients and to brighten their day with a wagging tail and a slobbery kiss.
For instance, at New York’s Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, the Caring Canine teams make regularly scheduled bedside and lounge visits, even turning up on holidays, which can be the loneliest times for patients.
Separately, Alison Snow, who works in cancer support services at Mount Sinai, previously told SurvivorNet that there’s research to show that animal visits to hospitals can be extremely beneficial to people battling cancer, as well as other ailments.
“You can hear the excitement in the air when the dog is around and there is research to show that having animal-assisted visits is helpful to patients going through cancer in terms of lowering blood pressure, reducing anxiety, decreasing depression, and overall, helping patients feel less isolated,” said Snow.
Meanwhile, Jane Kopelman, a Certified Professional Dog Trainer and owner of All About Dogs, said during a previous interview that the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center’s Caring Canine Program was hoping to get more pups involved in the program because patients request them so often
A ‘Plum’ Assignment: Therapy Dog From Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
“What most patients say, and studies have proven, is that the dogs reduce anxiety, reduce depression, and they give people a sense of hope they often motivate people,” Kopelman said. “Patients have said that they were so eager to have the dogs come that it motivated them to get up.”
The dogs can visit patients who are in the hospital after undergoing surgery and also visit outpatient locations where patients may be undergoing treatment like chemotherapy.
If you’re interested in pursuing a cancer therapy dog, speak with your doctor about the following steps, or an oncological social worker or organizations to connect with that train these types of dogs. Note that waiting lists for service dogs are often long and their training period is a lengthy process, as well, so time is of the essence if you wish to get a service dog.
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Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
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