As an accomplished singer and stage, film, and television star, bright and flashing lights are things Kristin Chenoweth is accustomed to having shined on her on a daily basis. However, fans of the “Wicked” star might not know that these sights also aggravate medical issues she’s been dealing with since she was 25 years old.
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In April 2009, Chenoweth opened up about her issues on the NPR radio show “Fresh Air.” She said her migraines originate from Meniere’s disease, a condition which affects her inner ear. It also causes Chenoweth to experience instances of vertigo. Though she mentioned there is a cure, “Fresh Air” host Terry Gross acknowledged it could have even worse effects on Chenoweth as a performer. “The surgery that you could get to cure it could have a side effect of a significant hearing loss which would be horrible for you, since you’re a singer,” Gross told Chenoweth. “I mean, music is so much a part of your life.”
Kristin Chenoweth is pressing through her disease
As her symptoms intensified, Kristin Chenoweth said to iHeartRadio (via KISS 108) that she once considered retiring from performing. In the past, she told “Fresh Air,” “There’s been time[s] where I haven’t been able to do the shows,” she said. “I just haven’t. And of course you get bad press because you’re out. But there’s absolutely nothing you can do. You feel like you’re at the carnival in one of those funhouses, and you can’t get off.”
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To manage the disease and continue performing, Chenoweth receives Botox injections and, per Women’s Health, reportedly takes medication for it, follows a low sodium diet, and has adapted her lifestyle through means like sleeping on an incline. She told the publication that she’s also done better about knowing her limits and not fretting about small matters. “I don’t want to appear weak,” she said. “But the older I get, the more I go, ‘I have this, and today might not be the best day,’ and that is very freeing.”
Chenoweth has also advocated for migraine awareness. To help spread the word, she teamed up with AbbVie in June 2022 to launch Center Stage with Chronic Migraine, a program which encourages those suffering from migraines to seek out doctors’ help and learn how to deal with their disease. “I know how debilitating chronic migraine can be,” she told NIH MedlinePlus Magazine in November 2022. “That’s why I am so passionate about helping others learn about this disease.”
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