Neil Diamond health: ‘Sweet Caroline’ star’s progressive condition – the symptoms

Neil Diamond, 79, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease (PD) back in January 2018. The singer made the announcement during his 50 Year Anniversary World Tour much to the shock of his loyal fans. Neil revealed at the time he no longer felt able to tour and needed to focus on his health.

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Speaking to the Associated Press in 2018, Neil revealed despite his diagnosis he was “doing pretty well”. 

He said: “I’m active. I take my meds. I do my workouts.

“I’m in pretty good shape. I’m feeling good.

“I want to stay productive…I just can’t do the travelling that I once did, but I have my wife there supporting me and friends.”

What is Parkinson’s disease?

Parkinson’s disease is a condition which affects a person’s brain.

The condition causes problems such as shaking and stiffness which sadly gets worse over time.

Treatments for the condition include therapies to help with movement difficulty, medicines and sometimes even surgery on the brain.

The main symptoms of PD include shaking and tremors, slow movement and stiffness.

In the UK, around 145,000 people are already living with the condition, explained Parkinson’s.org.

The health site continued: “Every hour, two or more people are diagnosed.

“That’s the same as 18,000 people every year.

“One in 37 people alive today will be diagnosed with Parkinson’s in their lifetime.”

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Neil discussed how the disease has affected his life and said: “It does have it’s challenges, but I’m feeling good and I feel very positive about it.

“I’m feeling better every day.

“I’m just dealing with it as best I can, and just keep the music coming.”

Neil added that he hopes to eventually be back on tour giving his fans what they love and added: “It’s just a matter of resting up, finding the time preparing, and then just doing the show.”

What causes PD?

Although many brain areas are affected by PD, the most common symptoms result from a loss of neurons in the substantia nigra.

In a healthy brain, neurons in this area produce dopamine, which carries signals to the next relay station of the brain and helps produce smooth, purposeful movements.

However, when there is a loss of dopamine, abnormal nerve firing patterns develop, and this creates a loss of nerve endings.

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