Justin Timberlake Was Diagnosed With A Condition Rising Among Celebrities And Here's His Health Update

Timberlake characterized the disease as "relentlessly debilitating, both mentally and physically"

Justin Timberlake’s health update is hitting different after reports that he was diagnosed with Lyme disease, a tick-borne illness that can knock you sideways fast. And because Lyme can bring everything from severe joint pain to neurological symptoms, this is not the kind of situation you just “push through” between rehearsals and headlines.

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Even other celebrities, like Kelly Osbourne, have spoken about how rough it can be, which makes Timberlake’s “shocked” reaction feel painfully familiar.

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According to reports, Justin Timberlake's wife, Jessica Biel, is supporting him during his health issues

According to reports, Justin Timberlake's wife, Jessica Biel, is supporting him during his health issuesJerritt Clark/Getty Images for Justin Timberlake
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That “shocked” moment Timberlake described is now part of the reason Jessica Biel is reportedly keeping close during his Lyme disease recovery.

Humans contract Lyme disease, also called Borrelia burgdorferi, by being bitten by an infected tick. The sickness is known to cause severe joint pain, neurological problems, and flu-like symptoms.

If detected early enough, it is easy to treat. Timberlake said that he was "shocked" upon receiving his diagnosis, which he characterized as "relentlessly debilitating, both mentally and physically."

In other words, Timberlake says that his illness had an impact on his physical and mental health.

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According to Justin Timberlake, his diagnosis affected him both in a mental and physical way

According to Justin Timberlake, his diagnosis affected him both in a mental and physical wayGetty Stock Image

And once you hear that Lyme can hit both joints and your brain, Timberlake’s “mentally and physically” line suddenly makes total sense.

This tragic parallel, Nicole Valeria Vargas Gomez’s hit-and-run death, is heartbreaking.

Kelly Osbourne’s 2004 diagnosis and her not-so-glamorous memoir warning about reindeer adds a weirdly specific reality check to all of this.

com/justin-timberlake-prioritizing-health-after-lyme-disease-diagnosis-source-exclusive-11864475" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">People. Actress Jessica Biel, his wife, is "supportive" of his recuperation, they continued.

"Justin seems to be doing okay. He's prioritising his health after the gruelling tour and Lyme disease diagnosis," they alleged.

"Jess is supportive. She wants him healthy."

Celebrities like Kelly Osbourne have also battled with Lyme disease and she shared her experience

Celebrities like Kelly Osbourne have also battled with Lyme disease and she shared her experienceRicky Vigil M / Justin E Palmer/GC Images

So when the reports say Timberlake is “prioritising his health after the gruelling tour,” it sounds less like a break and more like damage control.

The 31-year-old Bieber is just one of several celebs who have contracted Lyme disease; he called his experience "rough." Osbourne, 41, was diagnosed in 2004 and disclosed the disease in her memoir, There's No F***ng Secret: Letter From a Bada** B**ch. "I don’t understand how anyone could think that the life you have to live with Lyme disease is glamorous," she wrote.

"I’ve learned to advocate for myself when it comes to my health, and I trust my intuition. If I think something is wrong, I refuse to let anyone dismiss it. And sadly, I stay the f**k away from reindeer."

Share your thoughts with us by dropping them in the comments section.

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