Irish country music singer Lisa McHugh has announced that she has been diagnosed with Functional Neurological Disorder (FND), a condition that resulted in loss of function in her legs.
The singer-songwriter received the diagnosis after what she described as “an incredibly scary” and “very difficult” period in the hospital.
On Tuesday, she shared a statement on Instagram alongside a video showing her inability to lift her legs, detailing the events leading up to her diagnosis of the incurable disorder.
The 36-year-old explained that her diagnosis followed extensive testing including multiple CT scans, MRIs, X-rays, blood tests, and lumbar punctures.
FND impacts how the brain and nervous system function, causing a variety of neurological symptoms that can manifest as limb weakness, paralysis, seizures, walking difficulties, spasms, and sensory issues.
Unlike other neurological disorders, FND is not caused by structural damage to the brain but rather by alterations in brain network activity.
McHugh, who had previously been diagnosed with Trigeminal Neuralgia this year, noted in her post that while the exact cause of FND remains unknown, common triggers include stress, trauma, and anxiety.
“I guess the stress and trauma of this last year and everything we’ve went through has finally caught up with me and my body and it’s now decided to make me physically stop, process and heal from everything properly,” she wrote.
McHugh emphasized that while there is “a good bit to go on the healing front,” she is committed to recovery.
“Going from walking into hospital with a very bad headache & severe facial pain, to losing function in both legs and then trying to walk again using a Zimmer frame. It’s quite a lot to wrap your head around. So I need to drastically adapt things in my life right now and for the future to reduce the severity of the symptoms in any future flare-ups. But rest assured, I will be cared for like a queen every single day until I fully recover from this episode,” she shared.
She expressed gratitude to the doctors, specialists, nurses, and staff at the South West Acute Hospital for their “absolutely amazing” care and first-class treatment.
“With all of that said, I’m going to sign off and take time out from everything for a while to concentrate on recovering fully. In the meantime, I’d really appreciate all of your prayers and I’ll soak up this time with my beautiful family and be grateful for every day,” she concluded.
