Talented singer Solange Knowles has always been vocal about her art, whether it’s her singing, songwriting, visual art, or shows she produces. Now the 38-year-old has recently spoken about her health problems and revealed that she had received several diagnoses already in 2018.

In an Instagram video, Solange’s fellow musician, Shaun Ross, could be heard talking about his journey with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), a disorder that occurs as a result of prolonged covid.

The younger sister of Beyonce and the mother of two commented on the post and revealed that she too had been diagnosed with the medical condition, along with Sjogren’s and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS).

Ross explained that he did not release the video to gain sympathy or attention, as he does not want his illness to be his identity. He just wanted to remind viewers that you never know what someone is fighting about and to be careful with your words. This prompted Knowles to reveal that six years ago she found out she was suffering from multiple medical issues, including POTS.

“I was diagnosed with POTS, Sjögren’s and Mcas in 2018 and really relate to not wanting your health to be your identity,” Solange continued.

That sounds like a lot for one person to handle on a daily basis. Below we break down each of these diseases.

The conditions that Solange now suffers from

POTS disease

Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is a chronic condition that causes an abnormally rapid increase in heart rate when standing or sitting up. It is a type of autonomic dysregulation, meaning it affects the autonomic nervous system’s ability to regulate blood flow.

POTS is characterized by:

• An increase in heart rate of at least 30 beats per minute within 10 minutes of standing up
• Dizziness or fainting that is relieved by lying down

Other symptoms include:

• fatigue
• headache
• palpitation
• sleep disorders
• nausea
• bloating

POTS can affect people of all ages and genders, but it is most common in women between the ages of 15 and 50. It can often begin after a pregnancy, major surgery, trauma or a viral illness.
There is no cure for POTS, but it can be managed with lifestyle changes, medication, physical therapy, compression stockings, or gentle resistance training.

Sjogren’s syndrome

Sjögren’s syndrome is a chronic autoimmune disease that causes the body’s moisture-producing glands to be attacked by the immune system. This results in a reduction in tears and saliva, leading to dry eyes and mouth. Other symptoms include:

• Dry skin, nose and throat
• Frequent nosebleeds
• Coughing often
• Itchy or burning eyes
• Excessive blinking
• Sensitivity to bright light
• Difficulty swallowing or speaking
• Difficulty tasting food
• Fatigue
• Joint and muscle pain

Sjögren’s syndrome can affect other organ systems, including the lungs, kidneys, and nervous system. It can occur on its own or along with other autoimmune conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis or lupus.

There is no cure for Sjögren’s syndrome, but treatments can help manage the symptoms. These include:

• Eye drops
• Sprays, lozenges and gels to keep the mouth wet
• Medicines that help your body produce more tears and saliva

Sjögren’s syndrome is usually not life-threatening, but the outcome depends on other diseases you have

Mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS)

Mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS) is a condition that can develop in children or adults. MCAS is part of a spectrum of mast cell disorders. People with MCAS may also have other mast cell disorders such as mastocytosis or hereditary alpha-tryptasemia syndrome (HATS).

In people affected by MCAS, chemicals called mast cell mediators are released too frequently or abundantly, and/or in response to triggers that are not usually considered harmful, for example; food or chemicals in the environment. This can lead to a wide range of symptoms affecting multiple parts of the body.

Triggers and symptoms of MCAS vary greatly between individuals. Triggers can be smells, exercise, stress and temperature changes. MCAS symptoms can come and go and can often change over time within the same person. This can make it difficult to identify specific triggers, and the number of triggers and the severity of symptoms can continue to increase as the condition progresses.

Solange previously said she was diagnosed with this mental health issue … twice

The soulful singer says she’s always been full of energy and claims her slurred speech and noise sometimes led people to believe she was on drugs. But the real culprit was something she didn’t believe at first: ADHD.

Knowles says that when a doctor told her she had ADHD, she didn’t believe him: “I was diagnosed with ADHD twice. I didn’t believe the first doctor who told me and I had this whole theory that ADHD was just something they invented to make you pay for medicine, but then the other doctor said I had it.”

She also said that she thinks everyone in the music industry seems to suffer from the symptoms of ADHD. “The symptoms seem to apply to everyone around me in the industry. Amnesia, start something and not finish it…”

Traditionally, ADHD was considered a male-oriented disorder, and men were once thought to account for the vast majority of cases. But more recent research has begun to focus on how the disorder affects women, so that ADHD can be identified earlier in women’s lives.

Although ADHD can cause some difficulties, many people with ADHD are very successful in life. What happens after the diagnosis?

Solange’s case is a lesson for us all. Take control of your health. Be present in your health and don’t just take what is given to you. Here are some things we can learn.

1. Learn more about the disease – what it is and what it is not.

2. Try to get your partner to participate in learning with you.

3. Remember that getting a diagnosis of a condition like ADHD doesn’t change anything. You only have a name for what was previously nameless.

4. You will probably feel relieved and sad after receiving your diagnosis. You can be relieved to know that something is wrong and it’s not your fault. You can be sad to know that something is wrong and that no one ever realized it.

5. Realize that getting diagnosed is the first step to a better life. You have to know a problem before you can begin to address it and work on it.

6. Re-examine your past and realize that much of what happened was not your fault.

7. Start focusing on what you can do to make your future better.

8. Remember that improvement comes slowly. Accept this and don’t be too hard on yourself.

What Solange wants people to know about her

While revealing her current health issues, Solange also mentioned that she “doesn’t want your health to be your identity.” But even though she may have these health issues that can sometimes get in the way of what she might want to do, remember that she is still a real person – not her illnesses. She is still the creative, lovely, funny and talented singer we have grown to love. None of these health issues should change that.