Kimberly Williams-Paisley has opened up about the health condition that left her unable to speak for two years.
The Father of the Bride and According to Jim star, who has been married to country singer Brad Paisley since 2003, lost her voice in 2022 and was only able to whisper.
She told People she felt "trapped in my own body" over the 18 months it took for the cause of her condition to be diagnosed and for the procedure that would allow her to speak again.
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Kimberly Williams-Paisley has opened up about the health condition that left her unable to speak for two years. (Getty)Williams-Paisley went into further detail about her condition during an Instagram Live with her sister, actress Ashley Williams, in September.
The pair explained they'd been receiving messages from fans asking why they hadn't been doing their regular Friday night Instagram Live sessions for the past two years. The sisters had started the sessions as part of their Alzheimer's advocacy work after losing their mother to the disease.
Williams-Paisley explained she was hosting their annual Dance Party to End ALZ when she suddenly lost her voice and her sister had to take over hosting duties.
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The actress has been marrried to country singer Brad Paisley since 2003 (Getty Images for FIJI Water)
She suddenly lost her voice and her sister had to take over hosting duties. (Instagram/Kimberly Williams-Paisley)Over the next two years Williams-Paisley tried "every single thing" recommended to her including physio, magnesium, braces and spiritual healing, among many others.
Eventually, Williams-Paisley was diagnosed with "muscle tension dysphonia" which is muscle tension affecting her vocal cords tension due to "never damage to my laryngeal nerve which affected my vocal cords".
She underwent surgery a month ago at the Vanderbilt Centre, which took three hours, and "plumped up my vocal chord so it would hit the other one" restoring her voice.
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Of her career, she says she "kind of took a break for a while I figured all this out because I didn't feel I could fully be myself," adding that not being able to speak impacted her personality and came with a sense of "shame."
Williams-Paisley and Paisley are parents to two boys aged 17 and 15.
The actress said one of the sweetest things her country singer husband did during this time was to "buy me a megaphone".
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William-Paisley first found fame in 1991 movie Father of the Bride. (Father of the Bride/Touchstone Pictures)
She also starred in TV series According to Jim. (According to Jim/Newman-Stark Productions)Now, with her voice restored, Williams-Paisley is sharing her story to help others who suffer similar, sudden health conditions.
The sisters also revealed they had matching scars on their necks following Williams-Paisley's vocal cord surgery and Ashley's scar is from thyroid cancer which she battled in the past.
Williams-Paisley shared the extent of her health struggle in a post on Instagram in August.
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The sisters laughed over their matching scars. (Instagram/Kimberly Williams-Paisley)"I've been going through a thing. Almost two years ago I lost my voice on stage at my Alzheimer's event in Nashville. It was embarrassing & scary & it never quite came back. It's been a challenging couple of years, but we finally got to the bottom of it," she said.
"I have damage to my laryngeal nerve. I tried everything I could to heal it (so thank you but please don't give me any tips!). I was finally able to have surgery this week at @vanderbilthealth with expert surgeons, & it is sounding so much better!! I have a badass scar that's smiling at me across my neck," the actress explained.
She said she struggled not being able to express herself but now feels "so grateful".
Williams-Paisley shared the extent of her health struggle in a post on Instagram in August. (Getty)"In the last two years, I've found power in using my voice in new ways. I've healed old emotional wounds. I've learned the strength & beauty of silence. I've become a serious meditator. I'm deadlifting over a hundred pounds," she said.
"I'm taking better care of my body. I'm managing stress. I'm dissolving shame. I'm feeling more whole, empowered & joyful."
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