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In an exclusive interview with TODAY's Jenna Bush Hager, country singer-songwriter Alan Jackson revealed his degenerative nerve condition. The 62-year-old country music icon iterated how the disease has been affecting his mobility.
Alan Jackson also disclosed that he was diagnosed with the Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) nerve disorder in 2011. He said,
"I have this neuropathy and neurological disease...It's genetic that [sic] I inherited from my daddy ... There's no cure for it, but it's been affecting me for years."
The two-time Grammy-winner also added,
"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."
Jackson has been active as a singer since 1983, and his musical career spans around 38-years. His most recent studio album, Where Have You Gone, was released in 2021. Coincidentally, the album marks Alan Jackson's 21st studio album.
Alan Jackson's neurological disease explained: What is Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT)?
Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) is also known as hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy. It is inherited and affects motor functions of the body. The disease affects the peripheral nerves in the spinal cord and brain. This mainly affects the legs and arms, as the 43 pairs of the peripheral nervous system are concerned with the body's mobility and sensation.
Since the disease is hereditary, the symptoms start to occur during adolescence. However, according to Healthline, the symptoms can also appear later in the mid to late-adulthood stage.
This appears to be the case for Alan Jackson, who was diagnosed with the disease around 10 years ago.
Causes of CMT
Charcot-Marie-Tooth is a hereditary genetic disorder, which means that the disease occurs due to genetic mutations passed down from generation to generation.
CMT is also known to skip generations if an affected woman only gives birth to girls. However, the woman's grandsons may inherit it.
What are the symptoms of Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT)?
Symptoms of the disease include:
- Curled toes
- Difficulty in walking
- Loss of sensation in limbs
- Weak legs and arms with loss of muscles in the limbs
- Frequent trips and falls
- Inability to run or walk properly
What are the risks of Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT)? Will Alan Jackson be okay?
Since the disease affects the sensation of the limbs and weakens its muscles, there is a higher chance of injury. Furthermore, people with lesser sensation in those areas may unknowingly hurt themselves.
Although the disease is not life-threatening, it can seriously impair a person's mobility.
Treatment for CMT
CMT does not have a cure. However, treatment may offset some of the symptoms for patients like Alan Jackson. These treatments include pain medication, physiotherapy, and surgery in cases of foot deformation.
