Justin Bieber Shares Lyme Disease Diagnosis

The star opens up about his ongoing battle with the incurable illness.

Last night, Justin Bieber took to Instagram to publicly announce that he has been battling Lyme disease for the past few months. After TMZ first broke the news, the singer shared screenshots of the recent article on his Instagram page—along with a caption detailing how the incurable disease took a toll on his looks and well-being:

“While a lot of people kept saying Justin Bieber looks like shit, on meth, etc. they failed to realize I’ve been recently diagnosed with Lyme disease, not only that but had a serious case of chronic mono which affected my, skin, brain function, energy, and overall health.”

Lyme is the most common vector-borne disease in the U.S., transmitted to humans through the bite of infected backlogged ticks. If left untreated, Lyme can cause lasting symptoms, such as arthritis in the joints, cognitive difficulties, chronic fatigue, and sleep disturbances. These symptoms can persist even after the patient has undergone antibiotic treatment, resulting in a condition called Post-Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome (PTLDS).

When the paparazzi pictured showing Justin leaving the Beverly Hills medical building with an IV in his arm surfaced, many people assumed that the musician was battling drug addiction. Before being properly diagnosed with Lyme, Justin would struggle with extreme depression because doctors were failing to figure out what is going on in his body. He is now treated with ailment symptoms, including headaches, fever, fatigue, and a characteristic skin rash, gradually subsiding and allowing the singer to get back to normal and prepare for his recently announced upcoming album release.

In addition to the forthcoming album and tour, Justin is releasing his YouTube docuseries next month, where the artist will talk more in-depth about his ongoing battle with Lyme disease. Earlier this month, Bieber dropped his newest single dubbed “Yummy,” later accompanied by an official music video for the track.

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