Justin Timberlake is sharing that he has been “battling some health issues” as he concludes his Forget Tomorrow World Tour, including that he was recently diagnosed with Lyme disease.
The “Mirrors” singer opened up about his diagnosis in an Instagram post Thursday, writing that he wanted to “shed some light” on what he’s been going through behind the scenes.
“Living with this can be relentlessly debilitating, both mentally and physically,” Timberlake wrote. “When I first got the diagnosis I was shocked for sure. 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.”
Lyme disease is a bacterial infection, with the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi being the most common cause, Dr. Leana Wen previously told CNN. Wen is an emergency physician and professor of health policy and management at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health. Lyme disease is transmitted through the bite of a particular tick, the black-legged tick. There are three stages of Lyme disease, which can include flu-like symptoms, dizziness, chest pain, palpitations, arthritis, facial nerve paralysis, ongoing joint pain, fatigue, depression, palpitations, and other neurological, rheumatological and cardiac involvement.
Timberlake went on to say this week that he was “faced” with a decision to stop touring or to keep going, writing that “the joy that performing brings me far outweighs the fleeting stress my body was feeling.”
“I’m so glad I kept going,” he wrote.
Timberlake has been on his Forget Tomorrow World Tour since April 2024, and performed his final show on Wednesday in Istanbul. In his post on Thursday, Timberlake celebrated his experience while candidly questioning what his Lyme disease diagnosis means for his future on stage.
“There really is no way to put into words the feeling of being on a stage and getting to share the experience of live music with all of you. It’s a vibration of frequency that is unmatched,” he wrote. “I honestly don’t know what my future is onstage but I’ll always cherish this run!”
Timberlake acknowledged that while he’s typically a private person and was initially “reluctant” to speak about his health, he is choosing to open up about it now because he’s “trying to be more transparent about my struggles so that they aren’t misinterpreted,” and wants to “help others.”
“Sharing all of this with the hope that we can all find a way to be more connected,” he added. “I’d like to do my part to help others experiencing this disease too.”
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