Wanting to shine a light on country music in Northern Ireland, Lisa McHugh started her career back in 2010. And since that moment, she has brought home the Female Vocalist of the Year a staggering five times. Having released numerous studio albums, her latest, Watch Me, hit shelves back in 2023. Her stardom continued to expand as she also performed thousands of miles away from her home at the historic Grand Ole Opry. While her future in country seemed bright, the singer announced she needed to step away after suffering from a serious neurological disorder.
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Sharing the news on her Instagram page, McHugh showed just how difficult it was for her to lift her leg. That was just the start as it also featured numerous pictures of her time in hospitals. The singer explained how it all started with a “bad headache and severe facial pain.” That led to her losing function in both her legs.
Scared over the symptoms, she quickly sought medical help. And the results, “After what has been an incredibly scary and very difficult couple of weeks in hospital having multiple CT scans, MRIs, X-rays, blood tests, lumbar punctures and every kind of test you could imagine, I have just been diagnosed with Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) as well as Trigeminal Neuralgia that I was diagnosed with earlier this year.”
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Lisa McHugh Reveals What Caused Her Functional Neurological Disorder
For those who might not know what FND is, McHugh added it “affects the way the brain and nervous system work, leading to a range of neurological symptoms such as limb weakness, paralysis, seizures, walking difficulties, spasms, sensory issues, cognitive problems and more.”
With McHugh explaining that it was a result of “stress, trauma & anxiety”, she broke the news that she needed to pause her career to focus on her recovery. “I’m going to sign off and take time out from everything for a while to concentrate on recovering fully.”
While positive about the future, McHugh took a moment to thank the doctors and staff who helped her over the last few weeks. “A special mention of thanks must go out to all of the doctors, specialists, nurses & staff of the South West Acute Hospital. The care and first class treatment I’ve had since I arrived has been absolutely amazing and I am so thankful to all of you.”
As for country music fans, they already showered the singer with support and love, hoping McHugh made a speedy recovery and returned to sharing her love for country music with the world.
(Photo by Antony Jones/Getty Images for The Irish Post)
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