TV presenter Jonathan Ross has confirmed his 31-year-old daughter Betty now has to rely on a wheelchair after being diagnosed with a long-term condition known as fibromyalgia.
The chat show host opened up about his daughter's condition during an appearance on Loose Women on Friday (30 December), after host Denise Welch asked him how she was getting on.
Ross said it had been a 'tough couple of years' for Betty, explaining: "She has fibromyalgia and she has chronic fatigue syndrome and POTS syndrome as well, which is where your heart rate shoots up."
The family has found some help with a treatment known as the Perrin Technique, which has allowed Betty to show 'some improvement', though Ross explained she 'still can't walk very far'.
Advert
"We got her an electric wheelchair in the summer, so we can at least go out and go for walks with the dogs and that's lifted her spirits a lot," Ross said.
"Because that's the problem, if anyone out there who knows or who's got someone with a long term illness, you know, it's the depression.
"Being stuck indoors and not being able to join in with things because even stairs are a challenge to her. So if we're going out we have to give her plenty of time to get ready, get downstairs and then have a rest before we go to the next step, you know."
Fibromyalgia causes pain all over the body, with symptoms including an increased sensitivity to pain, muscle stiffness, difficulty getting to sleep or staying asleep, headaches, irritable bowel syndrome and feelings of frustration, worry or low mood.
According to the NHS, it can also cause problems with mental processes which can make it difficult to concentrate or remember certain things.
Symptoms can sometimes suddenly improve or worsen, and there is currently no cure for the condition. However, there are treatments which can help relieve some of the symptoms, including exercise programmes and relaxation techniques,
talking therapies, and medicine, such as antidepressants.
The Perrin Technique, which Ross mentioned, is an osteopathic approach which works to stimulate the fluid motion around the brain and spinal cord by massaging the soft tissues in the head, neck, back and chest.
Scientists don't know exactly what causes fibromyalgia, but the condition is thought to be related to abnormal levels of certain chemicals in the brain and changes in the way the central nervous system processes pain messages.
The NHS notes that it has been 'suggested that some people are more likely to develop fibromyalgia because of genes inherited from their parents'.
In many cases, the condition appears to be triggered by physical or emotional changes like an injury, an infection or stress. It can affect anyone, though it's more common in women than men and typically develops between the ages of 25 and 55.
It is unclear how many people are affected by fibromyalgia because the condition can be difficult to diagnose, with no specific test currently available.
Topics: Health, Celebrity, TV and Film
Emily Brown