Justin Timberlake Discloses Lyme Disease Diagnosis After Concluding World Tour
Pop superstar Justin Timberlake
revealed Thursday that he has been diagnosed with Lyme disease, a day after completing his two-year Forget Tomorrow World Tour. In a heartfelt
Instagram post, Timberlake shared that the illness had caused nerve pain, extreme fatigue, and periods of illness throughout the
tour.
The 44-year-old singer said the diagnosis,
though shocking, helped him understand the debilitating symptoms he experienced
while performing.
“When I first got the diagnosis I was shocked
for sure,” Timberlake wrote. “But at least I could understand why I would be
onstage and in a massive amount of nerve pain or just feeling crazy fatigue or
sickness.”
Despite the physical challenges, Timberlake
chose to continue performing.
“I was faced with a personal decision. Stop
touring? I decided the joy that performing brings me far outweighs the fleeting
stress my body was feeling.”
A Grueling Tour
The Forget
Tomorrow World Tour, supporting his sixth album Everything I Thought It Was, opened in April 2024 in Vancouver, Canada, and
included over 70 shows across North
America and Europe. The second leg, JT LIVE 25, featured festival appearances, including Lollapalooza Brazil, and concluded July 31 in Istanbul.
The tour was Timberlake’s first since 2019 and
was not without setbacks: several shows were postponed or canceled due to
injuries, and in 2024 he was arrested for driving while intoxicated in Sag
Harbor, N.Y., later pleading guilty to a lesser charge.
About Lyme Disease
Lyme disease, caused by tick bites, often
begins with a bull’s-eye rash
and flu-like symptoms. When treated early with antibiotics, most patients
recover fully. However, untreated or prolonged cases can lead to persistent fatigue, nerve pain, joint issues, and even neurological complications.
Dr. Christopher Bazzoli of the Cleveland Clinic noted that long-term cases present “nebulous symptoms that are really hard to understand and treat,” making management challenging.
Raising Awareness
Known for his privacy, Timberlake said he
chose to go public to prevent his health struggles from being “misinterpreted”
and to raise awareness about the condition. Representatives for the singer have
not commented further.
The
revelation has sparked an outpouring of support from fans and fellow artists,
as Timberlake now faces the next chapter of his recovery after one of the most
demanding tours of his career.