Justin Timberlake took to Instagram this week to announce that he has Lyme disease after touring the world for the past two years.
Admitting that he's usually a 'private person', Timberlake said he wanted to tell fans 'a little bit about what’s going on with [him]'.
He wrote on Instagram: "Among other things, I’ve been battling some health issues, and was diagnosed with Lyme disease — which I don’t say so you feel bad for me –– but to shed some light on what I’ve been up against behind the scenes.
"If you’ve experienced this disease or know someone who has — then you’re aware: living with this can be relentlessly debilitating, both mentally and physically."
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Mayo Clinic states the disease is caused by borrelia bacteria, which humans often get after being bitten by a tick.
"You're at risk of Lyme disease if you spend time where the ticks live, such as grassy, brushy or wooded areas", the website adds.
While ticks live all over the US, the disease is most common in the upper Midwest and the northeastern and mid-Atlantic states.
Amid Timberlake's recent announcement, many other celebrities have spoken out about a Lyme Disease diagnosis over the years, including some well-known figures.
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Shania Twain
Twain spoke about having Lyme Disease while touring in the early 2000s in her Netflix documentary Not Just a Girl.
The country singer spoke about how the condition impacted her vocal cords and ability to perform in front of large crowds across the globe.
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The 59-year-old said: "I was horseback riding, and I was bit by a tick. The tick was infected with Lyme disease. My symptoms were quite scary, because before I was diagnosed, I was on stage very dizzy, I was losing my balance, I was afraid I was going to fall off the stage.
"I was having these very, very millisecond blackouts, but regularly — every minute or every 30 seconds."
Amy Schumer
The comedian and actor revealed she had Lyme Disease in an Instagram post in September 2020, but took a lighthearted approach as opposed to a more serious announcement.
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"Anyone get LYME this summer? I got it and I’m on doxycycline," the Trainwreck actor penned.
"I have maybe had it for years. Any advice? Can you have a glass of wine or 2 on it?"
Justin Bieber
The 'Baby' singer detailed a Lyme Disease diagnosis in 2020 after many worried about Bieber's health following photos of himself were posted online.
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"While a lot of people kept saying Justin Bieber looks like s***, on meth etc. they failed to realize I've been recently diagnosed with Lyme disease," the singer wrote on Instagram.
"It’s been a rough couple years but getting the right treatment will help … and I will be back and better than ever."
Alec Baldwin
The actor began experiencing sweats and a high fever after being bitten by a tick more than 20 years ago.
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Subsequent symptoms left Baldwin bedridden to the point where the SNL star didn't think he was going to survive.
He told People: "I really thought this is it, I’m not going to live. I was alone, I wasn’t married at the time, I was divorced from my first wife. I was lying in bed saying, ‘I’m going to die of Lyme disease’ in my bed and ‘I hope someone finds me and I’m not here for too long'."
Other celebrities to have had Lyme Disease during their lifetimes are Bella Hadid, singer Avril Lavigne, actor Ben Stiller, Kelly Osbourne, Kris Kristofferson, Ally Hilfiger and Ryan Sutter.
Topics: Justin Timberlake, Health, Celebrity
Callum Jones