Just one day after wrapping up his Forget Tomorrow World Tour, Justin Timberlake has opened up about a personal health battle he kept private throughout the tour: a diagnosis of Lyme disease.

In an emotional Instagram post shared on Thursday (July 31), the pop icon reflected on the past year and revealed that he had been quietly grappling with the condition while performing. “As I’m reflecting on the tour and festival run — I want to tell you a little bit about what’s going on with me,” Timberlake wrote alongside a series of photos from his time on the road.

He then disclosed, “Among other things, I’ve been battling some health issues and was diagnosed with Lyme disease — which I’m not sharing for sympathy, but to shed some light on what I’ve been facing behind the scenes.”

Timberlake described the experience as both “mentally and physically debilitating,” adding, “If you’ve gone through this or know someone who has, then you understand how difficult it can be. When I first got the diagnosis, I was shocked. But it finally explained why I’d be onstage battling severe nerve pain, extreme fatigue, or sudden illness.”

Faced with a tough decision—whether to pause his tour or push through—Timberlake chose the latter. “I decided that the joy performing gives me far outweighs the temporary stress my body was under,” he said. “I’m so glad I kept going.”

According to the Mayo Clinic, Lyme disease is an infection caused by Borrelia bacteria, typically transmitted through the bite of infected ticks found in wooded or grassy areas. Common symptoms include rash, joint and muscle pain, fatigue, and neurological issues.

Timberlake now joins a growing list of musicians who have publicly shared their battles with Lyme disease, including Shania Twain, Avril Lavigne, and Justin Bieber.

His announcement comes at the close of more than a year on the road. The Forget Tomorrow tour, which launched in April 2024 following the release of his album Everything I Thought It Was, has been a massive success. Timberlake ranked as the 10th highest-grossing touring artist in Billboard’s midyear Box score report, earning $73.2 million across 41 shows as of late May.

Though his diagnosis came as a personal and professional challenge, Timberlake’s decision to share it publicly has brought greater awareness to a disease that often goes undiscussed—and underscores the resilience it took to deliver one of the year’s biggest tours.