Dick Van Dyke’s health history: The star’s neurological disorder and former addiction
Dick Van Dyke reveals workout routine at 95 years old
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In 2018 viewers were gobsmacked to learn that the tap dancing desk routine in Mary Poppins Returns was not made through the magic of CGI. Instead Dick Van Dyke himself performed the whole routine in the Disney sequel when he was 91. The performance and monologue that he delivered was so moving that director Rob Marshall was left in floods of tears and unable to call ‘cut!’ The spirited actor, who was also in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, is one of Hollywood’s oldest living actors and is showing no sign of slowing down.
During an interview with CBS This Morning back in June, the star shared his workout routine from his home in Malibu, California. Whilst doing sit-ups he explained: “The stomach is the core of your whole body. If your stomach’s strong, you’re in good shape.”
Seeming so proud of his fitness and ability, the actor continued to offer some words of wisdom to all those a similar age to him: “So all you old guys out there, listen to me. I’m telling you, you can keep going. I’m still dancing and singing!”
Despite his current level of fitness, the actor has not always been in tip top condition. In the same interview he touched on aspects of his personal life including his battles with alcoholism. It came as a shock to the world when the star revealed his addiction on his show The Dick Van Dyke show.
Not only did Dick Van Dyke admit he was an alcoholic, he said he had been one for 25 years, starting out as a social drinker, “like everyone else.” When on the Dick Cavett show he admitted: “You’re always an alcoholic.”
According to Alcohol Change UK, alcohol addiction or as it is sometimes known alcohol dependence affects an estimated 586,780 people in Britain, with only 18 percent of these receiving treatment. In addition to this, alcohol misuse is the fifth biggest risk factor for death, ill-health and disability across all ages.
Alcoholism is a causal factor in more than 60 medical conditions, and can cause long-term damage to a number of vital organs including the mouth, throat, stomach, liver and breasts. This doesn’t include other forms of damage such as high blood pressure and depression.
Van Dyke realised his condition was out of hand when he got angry at a friend who confronted him, and snapping, he said: “It’s my life, I can live it and enjoy it the way I want to! You don’t have the right.” After making the man cry, the realisation started to dawn on Van Dyke.
His wife Margie Willet also realised that she was suffering with a drinking problem and together they decided to get sober in order to benefit their four children. Treatment was incredibly effective on Van Dyke, and after three weeks in hospital he became a substance abuse counselor.
In addition to drinking, he was also a heavy smoker. In fact according to The Washington Post he smoked up to three packs a day. This led to a strong nicotine addiction, which he himself labelled as “the worst of all addictions.”
What shocked him into stopping was an X-ray of his lungs. After a doctor’s visit flagged up emphysema scars all across his organs, the actor immediately quit the habit. Despite quitting, the star struggled with nicotine cravings and in 2013 revealed to The Telegraph that he had been using Nicorette gum for the past decade.
Like alcoholism, smoking is one of the biggest causes of death and illness in the UK, states the NHS. Every year around 78,000 people in the UK die from smoking, with many more living with debilitating smoking-related illnesses. The health risks that come from smoking include cancer in multiple parts of the body as well as an increased risk of heart disease, heart attacks and stroke.
Another health problem that has been troubling the star is a neurological disorder. In April 2013 he revealed that for seven years he has been suffering with a pounding in his head whenever he lays down.
This strange heartbeat-like sound remained a mystery to many medical professionals even after multiple tests. In pure desperation the actor even took to Twitter to try and find someone who might be able to help. In a tweet he said: “My head bangs every time I lay down. I’ve had every test come back that I’m perfectly healthy. Anybody got any ideas?”
Whilst suffering with the strange illness, Van Dyke had to cancel scheduled appearances as he was so fatigued from his loss of sleep.
A few weeks later it seemed as though the initial tweet had worked as a follow up tweet from the actor revealed the cause of the problem. He wrote: “It seems that my titanium dental implants are the cause of my head pounding. Has anyone else experienced this? Thanks for all your replies.”
The source of his pearly white smile, seemed to also be the cause of so much pain. Titanium dental implants are metal replacements for the root of a tooth. They are implanted into the jawbone and during recovery the bone around the implant fuses to it creating stronger and healthier teeth.
Despite the complications and neurological problems that Van Dyke suffered, after finding the source of the problem he was able to get it fixed and therefore alleviate himself from the neurological disorder.
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