On the 10th of June, 2022, Justin Bieber breaks out the news that he has been diagnosed with Ramsay Hunt syndrome, a viral disease that has paralyzed half the side of his face.
Mr. Bieber said, "It is a virus that attacks the facial nerves and it has paralyzed half of my face".
The singer posted a video on his Instagram in which he said "As you can see, this eye is not blinking. I can’t smile on this side of my face. This nostril is not moving”
What is Ramsay Hunt Syndrome?
Ramsay Hunt syndrome is a neurological condition caused by the varicella-zoster virus. it's not a contagious disease but it's the same virus(varicella-zoster) that causes chickenpox and shingles. if someone has this virus in their body and they didn't have chickenpox or shingles yet, it can give them chickenpox or shingles. Because Ramsay Hunt syndrome is caused by shingles, this virus can linger in your body for a long time even after you recovered from chickenpox or shingles, and reactivate itself to irritate and inflame the nerves in your face and causes Ramsay Hunt syndrome.
Symptoms:
The most noticeable symptoms of Ramsay Hunt Syndrome are the rash near one or both ears can cause a decrement in the listening abilities of the affected ear. also with this syndrome facial paralyzing is noticeable in which facial muscles feel harder and impossible to move and like they’ve lost their ability to move.
The rash can be identified by its red, pus-filled blisters, in this syndrome the rash can be inside the ear, around the ear, or outside the ear. it also can be in the mouth, in the throat, or on the roof of the mouth. the rash might not be visible but still can cause paralysis in your face.
Treatment:
This disease is fully recoverable. although the duration of recovery can vary from person to person, some take a week to recover and some patients take a month. in rare cases though, facial paralysis or hearing loss can be permanent. a most common treatment for this virus is a medication prescribed by your doctor, and mostly they prescribe an antiviral medicine. Physical therapy is not usually recommended for patients.
This disease can affect men and women equally but it's common in old people. The ratio of Ramsay hunt syndrome is about 5 to 10 people out of every 100,000 each year. Dr. Waleed Javaid said, “It can happen to anyone, But it’s not something that people should be afraid of.”