Shania Twain feared she would never sing again after Lyme disease ordeal

Shania Twain feared she would never sing again after her voice was damaged by Lyme disease.

The That Don't Impress Me Much singer divulged she was left avoiding things like phone calls and public places due to the "debilitating" effect it had on her as she spoke about her experiences on Loose Women on Monday.

“There was a long time when I thought I would never sing again,” she said.

“It took years to get to the bottom of what was affecting my voice. And I would say, a good seven years before a doctor was able to find out if it was nerve damage to my vocal cords directly caused by Lyme disease.

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"I was simply out horse-riding in the forest and got bit by a tick, a Lyme tick.”

Twain continued: “You start avoiding speaking on the phone, you start avoiding going to places that have ambient noise where you have to speak over the volume of others. It’s very debilitating.

"Our voice is such a huge part of our self expression. For a vocalist, a singer, or someone like yourself, it’s devastating in so many ways.

“Until I got to the bottom of why I was having a problem with my voice, there wasn’t really much I could do about it."

The 54-year-old said she "thankfully" persevered with her voice, meaning she is able to make records and put on concerts again.

Lyme disease is spread by ticks that have fed off infected animals. It can cause a wide range of symptoms including swollen joints, nerve issues, heart problems and difficulties with memory and concentration.

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Twain underwent surgery to stabilise the weakness in her vocal cord function, although she said her voice has changed and speaking was more of an effort than singing.

"I have more power when I’m singing now. I have more character, I find," she said.