What Disease Does Neil Young Have
Neil Young, the iconic musician, has faced numerous health challenges throughout his life. What disease does Neil Young have? Neil Young has several health conditions, including polio, type 1 diabetes, epilepsy, a brain aneurysm, and arthritis.
Let’s explore the various health issues Neil Young has encountered and how He deal with his diseases
How Neil Young Deals with His Health Issues
Even though Neil Young has had to deal with all these health problems, he hasn’t let them stop him from making music and performing. Here are some ways Neil has coped with his diseases:
- He’s been brave and kept making music even when it was hard.
- He’s found ways to manage his diabetes, like taking insulin and watching what he eats.
- He learned to recognize when a seizure might happen and would leave the stage if he needed to.
- He got quick treatment when he had a brain aneurysm.
- He’s found a way to play guitar even with arthritis in his hands.
Neil Young has also used his fame to help others. He’s spoken up about environmental issues and has helped raise money for people with disabilities. He even started special concerts to help farm workers and to support a school for kids with severe physical disabilities.
Neil Young’s Childhood Battle with Polio
Neil Young got polio when he was just 5 years old, back in 1951. Polio is a scary illness that can make it hard for people to move their bodies.
When Neil had polio, he almost died! After he got better, he had to learn how to walk all over again. Imagine having to learn to walk when you’re already 5 years old – that must have been tough!
Neil’s brother Bob remembers seeing Neil trying to walk by holding onto furniture to keep his balance.
Neil was so confused about what happened that he even asked, “I didn’t die, did I?” That shows how serious polio was.

It’s important to know that Neil Young wasn’t the only famous person who got polio during that time. Another Canadian music star, Joni Mitchell, also got polio in the same outbreak.
Neil Young’s Struggles with Type 1 Diabetes
One of the main ones is type 1 diabetes. Neil has had this disease since he was a child. Type 1 diabetes is a condition where your body can’t make a special substance called insulin. Insulin helps your body use the sugar from the food you eat.
People with type 1 diabetes, like Neil, need to take insulin every day to stay healthy. They also need to check their blood sugar levels often. This means Neil has to be very careful about what he eats and how much exercise he gets.
Even though having diabetes can be hard, Neil hasn’t let it stop him from making amazing music. He’s won many awards and is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame!
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Neil Young’s Ongoing Battle with Epilepsy
Another disease Neil Young has is epilepsy. He was diagnosed with this in 1966 when he was a young adult. His body moves in ways he can’t control.
Neil’s seizures were mostly what doctors call “tonic-clonic” seizures. These are the kind where your whole body shakes and you might fall. Having these seizures made it hard for Neil to perform on stage sometimes.
Neil once said that having a seizure feels like slipping into another world. Your body might be shaking, but your mind feels like it’s somewhere else. That sounds pretty scary!
For a long time, Neil had to be very careful about being in crowds or performing on stage. He would often leave the stage if he felt like a seizure might happen. But Neil was brave and kept making music even though he had this challenge.
The good news is that in 2012, Neil said he had “grown out” of his epilepsy. This means he doesn’t have seizures as often anymore, or maybe not at all!
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Neil Young’s Near-Death Experience from a Brain Aneurysm
What disease does Neil Young have? Well, in 2005, when Neil was 59 years old, he had a very serious health scare called a brain aneurysm.
Neil had to go to the hospital right away to get treatment. The doctors used a special method called embolization to fix the aneurysm. They put a tiny tube into the blood vessel and used soft coils to fill up the weak spot. This helped make sure the aneurysm wouldn’t burst.
After the treatment, Neil’s doctors said he would make a full recovery. They thought he would be able to get back to his normal activities soon. That’s great news for a rock star who loves to perform!
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Neil Young’s Ongoing Challenges with Arthritis
The most recent health issue Neil Young has talked about is arthritis. For a guitar player like Neil, having arthritis in his hands must be tough. It could make it painful to play the guitar. But Neil had some good news too! He said he found a way to play without pain, and he didn’t need to take any medicine to do it.
In January 2024, Neil shared that he’s been “playing with arthritis in my hand for years and years.”
Neil was so excited about being able to play without pain that he was planning to release a new live album. He played a concert in November 2023 where he felt great and could sing and play easily. Neil said he couldn’t remember feeling that good on stage in decades!
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Neil Recent Health Update
What disease does Neil Young have? While Neil has dealt with many health issues over the years, he’s still active in music. However, in June 2024, Neil and his band Crazy Horse had to cancel some of their tour dates because of illness.

Neil shared on his website that some of the band members got sick after a show in Detroit. They weren’t feeling well enough to perform, so they had to take a break from their tour. Neil didn’t say exactly what kind of illness it was or if he was sick too, but he did say that health is the most important thing.
This shows that even though Neil is 78 years old now, he’s still making music and touring. But it also reminds us that health issues can still affect him and his band.
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Conclusion
So, what disease does Neil Young have? As we’ve learned, Neil Young has dealt with several Health issues throughout his life, including polio, type 1 diabetes, epilepsy, a brain aneurysm, and arthritis. But despite all these challenges, Neil has become one of the most famous and respected musicians in the world.
He has had several, but he hasn’t let any of them define who he is or what he can do. And that’s a lesson we can all take to heart, no matter how old we are or what challenges we face.
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FAQS
Neil Young contracted polio at age 5, which left him partially paralyzed on his left side.
Yes, Neil Young has type 1 diabetes, which he was diagnosed with as a child.
Neil Young has epilepsy, which causes him to experience seizures.
At age 54, Neil Young suffered a brain aneurysm that required emergency surgery.
Neil Young has arthritis in his hands, which has made playing guitar more challenging but hasn’t stopped him from performing.
Neil Young gave up smoking marijuana after his brain aneurysm scare to better manage his health.
Neil Young has battled polio, type 1 diabetes, epilepsy, a brain aneurysm, and arthritis throughout his life