Ozzy Osbourne Hospitalized: Black Sabbath Frontman’s Health Scares Over the Years

Ozzy Osbourne has been through a lot in his 70 years of rocking.

The Black Sabbath frontman has dealt with everything from drug and alcohol addiction to near-fatal infections over the years and has struggled increasingly with his health as he entered middle age.

On Feb. 6, the rocker was revealed to have been hospitalized with complications from the flu, coming off of other health problems that forced him to cancel an entire European leg of his ongoing tour.

Keep scrolling to get a full history of the icon’s recent health struggles. Get well soon, Ozzy!

Flu Complications

On Feb. 6, Ozzy’s wife Sharon Osbourne revealed on Twitter that her husband had been hospitalized due to complications related to the flu.

“As some of you may have heard, Ozzy was admitted to hospital following some complications from the flu,” Sharon wrote on Twitter. “His doctors feel this is the best way to get him on a quicker road to recovery. Thanks to everyone for their concern and love.”

According to The Blast, the 70-year-old was checked into the University of Southern California Keck Hospital Monday, with Sharon and son Jack showing up soon after with security in tow. 

Tuesday, Sharon skipped her co-hosting appearance on The Talk, returning the following day. 

Respiratory Issues

A week prior, on Jan. 31, Ozzy’s publicist revealed that he would be postponing the entire European leg of his No More Tours 2 world tour with Judas Priest for the second time after contracting a severe upper respiratory infection.

“I’m completely devastated for having to postpone the European leg of my tour. It just seems that since October everything I touch has turned to s—. First the staph infection in my thumb and now coming down with the flu and bronchitis,” Ozzy said in a statement at the time. “I want to apologize to all of my fans who have been so loyal over the years, my band, my crew and to Judas Priest for letting you all down. However, I promise the tour with Judas Priest will be completed. It’s being rescheduled right now to start in September. Again, I apologize to everyone. God Bless. Love you all, Ozzy.”

 

Staph Infection

In October 2018, Ozzy told Rolling Stone that he had experienced a near brush with death that month after developing a severe staph infection in his thumb.

“I didn’t feel sick, so I was cracking jokes,” Ozzy said, admitting he had waited until his thumb was the size of a “light bulb” before seeking medical attention. “The doctor said, ‘I don’t know if you realize, Mr. Osbourne, this is a very serious problem you have.’ Sharon said, ‘Would you stop f—ing making jokes?’”

Eventually, Ozzy revealed that the infected cut on his thumb could have serious repercussions. “They’re all extremely, deadly serious about it,” he continued. “I judge it based on the expression and the body language of the doctor. If he comes in with a really solemn face, I go, ‘Oh, OK. My time to go is up.’”

Hand Surgery

In order to save Ozzy’s life, he continued to Rolling Stone that he had required surgery on his right hand.

“You put your thumb in front of your face on your right hand, they went in by the side of the nail on the left side for the flesh under the nail,” Ozzy recalled. “They cut all this stuff out. Even with the numbing stuff, it was agony. It wasn’t pus, but it was the stage after pus, when it gets in the blood and goes in your body and f—ing kills you. It may sound f—ed up what I’m saying to you, but he was really concerned about checking my blood.”

Doctors told Ozzy that he could have contracted the infection simply from shaking a fan’s hand, which didn’t necessarily soften the blow for the temporarily crippled rocker. 

“I’m right-handed. You can’t wipe your own a—” he joked. “And I didn’t have many fucking volunteers who would do it for me.”

 

Extreme Sinusitis

Ozzy appears to have a history with his sinuses, announcing in January 2016 that he would have to reschedule a number of shows due to “extreme sinusitis.”

The rock star has been open about his periodic heavy cocaine usage throughout his life, which may have contributed to troubles in the sinus cavity.

In December 2018, Ozzy told the Orange County Register, “I don’t drink alcohol anymore…I don’t smoke tobacco. I don’t use drugs…I’m doing good right now.”

“I now think, ‘how did I think going into a bar and getting smashed and doing all that cocaine was fun?” he continued. “I have come to think that if right now you had a gun, a bag of cocaine and a gallon of booze and you said ‘Take your pick’, I’d pick up the gun. It’s not worth it. I don’t believe in making New Year’s resolutions, so I won’t be making one this year, I just hope that God keeps me alive.”

House Fire

In January 2013, Ozzy suffered minor burns to his hand, recovering from a previous surgery, and face after a house fire sparked in the Osbournes’ Beverly Hills home.

Early in the morning, a candle that had not been blown out the night before exploded the glass jar in which it was housed, causing a fire in the living room. 

As Sharon described it the following day on The Talk, as per Contact Music, “My husband had an operation on his hand yesterday so he’s in a complete cast… He comes down and goes, ‘Oh, the fire, the fire!’ [and tries to put it out] with his hand in the cast. Then he opens the French doors and I go into the kitchen and throw water on it and it erupted… Ozzy’s front of his hair, gone! His eyebrows [are gone]… he’s got like, skinned cheeks.”

Parkin Syndrome

In May 2005, Ozzy was diagnosed with Parkin syndrome, a genetic condition which has symptoms similar to that of Parkinson’s disease, such as body shakes.

Complaining in 2003 that the tremors he presumed were due to a lifetime of drug abuse were “practically destroying [his] life,” Ozzy explained to the World Entertainment News Network that it was actually the genetic condition causing him to shake.

He said at the time, “I’d always assumed it was the booze and stuff. Now I’ve found it all stems from the family. It’s called Parkin but it’s not Parkinson’s. Anything to do with the central nervous system has the word Parkin in it.”

Ozzy has been taking daily medication to combat the symptoms of the disease. 

Emergency Surgery

On Dec. 8, 2003, Ozzy was rushed into emergency surgery in Slough, England after getting into a quad bike crash while on his Buckinghamshire estate, The Guardian reported at the time.

In the crash, Ozzy broke his collarbone, eight ribs, and a neck vertebra, and surgery was performed to lift his broken collarbone to keep it from impeding the flow of blood to a major artery to his arm.

Sharon later revealed that her husband had stopped breathing following the crash, only to be resuscitated by bodyguard Sam Ruston.

You can’t keep the Prince of Darkness down!

Photo credit: Greg Doherty/Getty Images