Neuropathy is a condition that affects millions of people worldwide. It is a nervous system disorder that causes pain, numbness, and tingling in the hands and feet.
Unfortunately, neuropathy can strike anyone, including celebrities. Here are some of the celebrities who have been diagnosed with neuropathy.
1. Jerry Mathers
Mathers is an American actor. He was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 1996 after feeling tingly sensations in his feet.
This came after he bought a catering business and found himself drawn to the desserts they were serving.
His father’s neurologist, Meril Platzer, pushed him to get physical after noticing how much weight he had put on.
It turned out that the tingly sensation he was feeling was caused by diabetic neuropathy.
Mathers was advised to control his diabetes by changing his diet and being physically active.
In doing so, he lost over 55 pounds and was able to manage his neuropathy.
2. Eric Clapton
Clapton is an English guitarist and singer-songwriter. He began experiencing severe back pains in 2013, which greatly affected his performance to the point he had to cancel his touring shows.
Clapton’s disorder might have resulted from his alcohol and drug abuse back in the ’70s.
He suffers from peripheral neuropathy, which affected his legs and caused him to have slow hands.
As a result, Clapton found it hard to play the guitar. However, as of 2023, Clapton is still active in his music pursuits, with tours and shows scheduled for 2023/24.
It is, therefore, safe to assume that he can manage his condition.
3. Dave Ball
Ball was an English guitarist and member of the rock band, Procol Harum. He suffered from peripheral neuropathy while undergoing chemotherapy for his bowel cancer in 2012.
Ball was a party animal in his younger days, which translated into him abusing alcohol and drugs.
He began experiencing abnormalities in his bowel movements, having to go to the bathroom up to 15 times a day.
Ball suffered from peripheral neurology as a result of the chemo, which affected the nerves on his hands and feet.
Ball died in April 2015, a year after he declared that he was cancer-free.
4. Andy Fraser
Fraser was a British musician and songwriter who died in March 2015 following a heart attack.
Having started his music career at the age of 15, Fraser was exposed to drugs, alcohol, and sex at a very young age.
He was diagnosed with Hepatitis B, AIDS, and cancer, among other conditions, during his lifetime.
In the ’90s, Fraser had a disc correction surgery, but he was still in pain. He was prescribed improper medication, which resulted in him having peripheral neuropathy.
He experienced spasms throughout his body for three years, with the main affected areas being his face, arms, and feet.
5. Keith Emerson
Emerson was an artist who held many titles. He was a composer, keyboardist, record producer, and songwriter.
He developed neuropathy in 1993, which was regarded as a form of diabetes, and had to take a break from playing the keyboard.
With a lot happening in his life, Emerson turned to alcohol but did not forget to keep fit. He regained the use of his hands in 2002 and resumed his career.
In 2016, he spoke about his struggles with focal dystonia, which is a form of neurological disorder.
Emerson committed suicide in March 2016 in fear of losing the use of his hands from extensive nerve damage.
6. Dean Winters
Winters is a 59-year-old American actor. In 2009, Winters collapsed at his doctor’s office from a bacterial infection, resulting in a 3-week stay in the ICU, which was later followed by gangrene.
He lost two toes and half his thumb as a result of tissue degeneration.
Since then, Winters has been dealing with neuropathy, where he cannot feel his hands and feet.
At times, he is in excruciating pain, which is also caused by the neuropathic disorder.
He is still actively participating in his acting career and pushes himself to keep moving forward.
7. Steve Jobs
Jobs was most known as the genius co-founder of Apple. He was first diagnosed with a rare form of pancreatic cancer called pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor, which grows at a slower rate compared to other forms of pancreatic tumors.
Paraneoplastic sensitive neuropathy is a rare disorder that affects the peripheral nervous system and is often associated with different types of cancer, including pancreatic cancer.
Jobs lived with the condition until his death in October 2011.
8. Salman Khan
Khan is an Indian blockbuster actor, producer, and TV personality.
He was diagnosed with trigeminal neuralgia disease (suicide disease) in 2007, a neuropathic disorder that causes severe pain in the face, cheeks, and jaw.
He battled the condition for four years before undergoing nerve surgery in the US in 2011. Khan has since made a full recovery.
9. Lynda Topp
Topp is a New Zealand music performer who works alongside her twin-sister, Jools Topp.
She and her sister were diagnosed with breast cancer in 2021.
While undergoing chemotherapy to cure her cancer, Lynda developed peripheral neuropathy and so had to discontinue the chemotreatment.
Lynda chooses to remain positive and is happy with her life.
10. Tisha Campbell
Campbell is an American actress, dancer, and singer.
Campbell was diagnosed with pulmonary sarcoidosis, a disease that affects the lungs, causing inflammation and damage to the tissue.
Pulmonary sarcoidosis is closely linked to neuropathy as it can affect nerves through inflammation.
Also, certain treatments for pulmonary sarcoidosis can contribute to neuropathy, and in some cases, neuropathy may be a symptom of pulmonary sarcoidosis.
