Avril Lavigne kept her battle with Lyme disease a secret from fans for many months — though that may have been because she herself didn't know what was wrong.
In an interview with "Good Morning America" on Monday (shown in part in the video above), the Canadian singer talked about how hard it was get a proper diagnosis for the inflammatory illness, which left her bedridden for five months. She's currently halfway through a treatment that she says she expects will help her make a full recovery.
According to the Mayo Clinic, it can be difficult to diagnose Lyme disease, due to its similarity to other illnesses. It is caused by tick bites, and when untreated, can last from months to years.
Health Canada warns that Lyme disease is present in many highly populated areas of the country, and recommends wearing light-coloured clothes to help spot ticks, using insect repellent with DEET and showering shortly after being outdoors to get rid of any loose ticks.
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