What is Alan Jackson's health condition? Everything you should know about Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease

On Wednesday night, the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, Tennessee, shined brighter than ever as it marked its 100th-anniversary celebration. And in a moment as timeless as the music itself, the legendary Alan Jackson returned to the iconic stage, right where he belonged. The 66-year-old country music legend performed his 1993 hit ‘Chattahoochee,’ and his fans were ecstatic.
Jackson is currently on his ‘Last Call: One More for the Road Tour, which he has described as fans' final chance to see him perform live. The tour, which began in 2022, is set to continue through 2025. The tour continues amidst Jackson’s battle with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, a chronic neuropathy condition. Here’s what to know about his health condition and the challenges he faces.
What is Alan Jackson's health condition?

Country superstar Alan Jackson, who has been battling Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease for more than a decade, opened up about his condition in public in
Sep. 2021. “I have this neuropathy and neurological disease. It’s genetic that I inherited from my daddy… There’s no cure for it, but it’s been affecting me for years. And it’s getting more and more obvious,” he said in a 2021 interview with the TODAY show.
Jackson, who was diagnosed with the disease in 2011, said that he was “stumbling around on stage” and also have “a little trouble balancing even in front of the microphone.”
What is Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease?

Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) is a group of genetic conditions that affect the nerves connecting the brain and spinal cord to the rest of the body, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
CMT is the most common inherited neuropathy (a nerve condition that causes pain, swelling, or other symptoms). This disease causes a range of sensory and motor symptoms, such as numbness, tingling, pain, muscle weakness and atrophy, and foot deformities, which get worse over time. In some cases, it can affect the nerves that control automatic body functions, leading to problems with sweating and dizziness.

Symptoms

Causes of CMT
NHS notes that this disease is caused by mutations in genes that cause the peripheral nerves to become damaged. It is mostly inherited, which means people with a family history of the disease are more likely to develop it.
CMT is more common in certain parts of the world, including Europe and Japan, according to the institute. However, scientists have not found the reason behind it.

Is there a cure?
There's no cure for Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT), but therapies are available to help reduce your symptoms and enable you to live as independently as possible, states.
The treatment program often includes physiotherapy, occupational therapy, orthoses, and walking aids, NSAIDs for pain control, antidepressants for neuropathic pain, surgeries like osteotomy in case of deformities.