Billy Joel is sharing a health update after announcing that he had been diagnosed with normal pressure hydrocephalus last year.
On SiriusXM’s Billy Joel channel, the 77-year-old singer said that he is doing better after brain surgery, which helped relieve some of the symptoms of normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH).
“I just want people to know, don’t worry about me. I’m not going anywhere. I’m here. I’m still here,” he said, adding that he’s “OK.”
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The Vienna singer said that his neurologist recommended he have a shunt implanted in his brain so that his condition did not continue to get worse.
Joel said he initially didn’t want to have the surgery but he realized it could help him with his balance and memory.
“But then I read up on it and I realized it can help improve your balance and can help your memory,” Joel said. “You know, I don’t want to lose my marbles. It’s hard to tell what’s age and what’s a condition, so I agreed to do the shunt and I had a surgery.”
“So they implanted a shunt in my brain and it actually improved things. My memory got better, my balance got a little better, my ability to function was better,” he continued. “I realized that because of my job, which is playing rock and roll music very loud, that it was giving me something like a concussion every time I did a show.”
“It was causing damage to my brain nerves and I could be losing more brain cells the more shows I did and I realized that means I shouldn’t be doing this right now. I got to improve. They don’t want me to stress too much,” the Uptown Girl singer added.
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, NPH is the result of excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulating in the brain’s ventricles, leading to cognitive issues, difficulty walking and loss of bladder control. It is often misdiagnosed as Parkinson’s disease or Alzheimer’s disease.
The disorder primarily affects people in their 60s and 70s. Its symptoms resemble those of dementia and can sometimes be reversible.
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Last May, the Piano Man singer announced he had been diagnosed with NPH and was undergoing treatment.
A statement, shared to Joel’s social media accounts, said the condition had been “exacerbated by recent concert performances, leading to problems with hearing, vision and balance.”
“Under his doctor’s instructions, Billy is undergoing specific physical therapy and has been advised to refrain from performing during this recovery period,” the statement said. “Billy is thankful for the excellent care he is receiving and is fully committed to prioritizing his health.”
“I’m sincerely sorry to disappoint our audience, and thank you for understanding,” Joel said.
Since his diagnosis, Joel returned the stage for the first time in January and surprised an audience at a Florida amphitheatre with a two-song set.
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