The Disease That Put Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler Back Into Rehab

Aerosmith can be described as one of the most famous and successful rock bands in the world, and the band members attracted attention with their unique sound and performances at the beginning of their careers. The band’s current lineup features Steven Tyler as the lead vocalist, Joe Perry as the lead guitarist, Tom Hamilton as the bassist, Joey Kramer as the drummer, and Brad Whitford as the guitarist.

Thanks to their tumultuous lifestyle and longtime songwriting partnership, the band’s most famous members have been considered Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, who also shaped Aerosmith’s musical direction. Their songs and their iconic live performances and moves, which have become significant parts of their legacy, led to some severe health problems for the band’s frontman Steven Tyler.

Why Did Steven Tyler Decide To Go To A Rehabilitation Center?

Actually, the longtime Aerosmith fans’ answer would be drug addiction, considering Steven Tyler and Joe Perry’s infamous nickname Toxic Twins. They earned this nickname by using drugs both during and after their stage performances, so they started to be known for this habit. However, this drug and alcohol-fueled life caused severe addiction problems and other health issues even though it made them very popular.

Tyler struggled with his addiction for a very long time, and he checked into eight different rehabilitation facilities to overcome his problem and start a healthier life. The crisis both in his personal life and career turned into another reason for using drugs which he regarded as a safe haven away from all pains. Fortunately, the Aerosmith singer understood that he couldn’t live like that and tried so hard to fight it.

Therefore, the headlines about Tyler returning to rehab weren’t surprising to many, but the reason was different this time. The singer was diagnosed with Morton’s Neuroma, a neuroma of an intermetatarsal plantar nerve that generally affects the areas between the third and fourth toe. Some of its leading causes are abnormal positioning of toes and wearing high heels or tight shoes, and the disease has excruciating symptoms. Steven Tyler wore very tight shoes and performed insane shows, leading to Morton’s Neuroma diagnosis.

The rocker couldn’t handle the pain for a long time and underwent surgery in 2008, but he realized that the disease makred just the beginning of his misery. He opened up about his surgery in his autobiographical book entitled ‘Does the Noise in My Head Bother You?: A Rock’ n’ Roll Memoir,’ which was released on January 3, 2012, saying that the doctors cut some bones and took out some nerves along with its unbearable pain.

Here’s what Tyler said about the surgery:

“What they had to do was to cut some bone and take two knuckles out of my feet. They also took out a ganglion of nerves. The nerves that are in your feet are small as a dime, but mine was the size of a quarter, big and bulbous and traumatized to the point where they had to be taken out… So now there’s just phantom pain there, like a guy who gets his arm cut off and still feels his fingers.”

During one of his previous interviews, Steven Tyler revealed that the post-surgery and recovery process was as painful as the disease itself. He received physical therapy which he defined as ‘traumatic.’ That’s why the musician had to find a peaceful place where he could rest and stay away from his busy daily life. He chose a very familiar place for him, a rehabilitation center.

Tyler added:

“The ‘foot repair’ pain was intense, greater than I’d anticipated. The months of rehabilitative care and the painful strain of physical therapy were traumatic. I really needed a safe environment to recuperate where I could shut off my phone and get back on my feet.”

Consequently, Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler checking into rehabilitation was very strange because this time, he wasn’t there because of his drug addiction but his painful recovery process. Thankfully, Tyler got better and better in time and continued his groundbreaking performances.