Sinead O’Connor Died of 'Natural Causes' — What the Term Really Means

The Irish singer, who became a household name with the release of her cover of 'Nothing Compares 2 U,' died at the age of 56 in July 2023

On Tuesday, the London Inner South Coroner's Court revealed in a statement that Sinéad O'Connor died by natural causes at the age of 56.

The Irish singer’s cause of death has sparked some confusion as people often associate the phrase “natural causes” with individuals who die of old age. However, in the United Kingdom, the terminology is often used as a blanket statement.

"There is no real definition of natural – it just has its ordinary meaning. It is anything which is not unnatural,”  the Coroners’ Society of England & Wales tells PEOPLE in a statement. “It has been said that death is considered to have arisen from natural causes if the evidence shows that it is probable (that is, more likely than not) that the cause of death was the result of a naturally occurring disease process running its [full] course."

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Related: Sinéad O'Connor Died from 'Natural Causes,' Says London Coroner

Similarly, medical experts in the United States explain death from “natural causes” also isn’t clear cut. It simply means there wasn’t any one health condition that caused death, but a combination of factors.

Dr. Erin McNeely, internal medicine physician at Spectrum Health in Michigan, told Health that when “natural causes” appears on a death certificate, it typically means that the individual didn’t die in an accident or of one single health condition.

"'Natural causes' is a really wide, wide term that can be anything that wasn't an accident or affected by a force," McNeely explained.

“It’s solely and exclusively due to natural causes, a natural disease process — infection, cancer, heart disease, all of those things that are going to carry us off at some point along the way,” Dr. David R. Fowler, president of the National Association of Medical Examiners, told CNN, noting that external causes like suicide, homicide or accidents like a car crash or drug overdose are excluded.

The death of O’Connor, whose legacy with hits like "Nothing Compares 2 U" was complicated by her outspoken dedication to various social issues and a series of mental health struggles, was confirmed by her family on July 26, 2023.

"It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Sinéad," her family said in a statement to RTE and the BBC. "Her family and friends are devastated and have requested privacy at this very difficult time."

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