Justin Bieber has revealed that a viral illness known as Ramsay Hunt syndrome has left his face half paralyzed. Ramsay Hunt syndrome is caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox and shingles, varicella-zoster.
In a YouTube video posted on Friday, he informed supporters that the virus had struck “My face has been paralyzed due to a nerve in my ear and facial nerves. This eye isn’t blinking, as you can see. On this side of my face, I’m unable to smile. This nostril is immovable.”
When the varicella-zoster virus infects a nerve in the skull near the inner ear, it causes Ramsay Hunt syndrome, a rare neurological condition. The virus can stay dormant in the body after having chickenpox as a child or shingles as an adult. It’s unclear why the virus reactivates and causes Ramsay Hunt’s symptoms.
According to the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, symptoms include a painful rash inside and outside the ear canal, which can also affect the tongue and roof of the mouth. In addition, people with the illness may have vertigo (the impression of dizziness or things spinning around you) or tinnitus (a ringing in the ear) as a result of inner ear involvement.
Hearing loss on the affected side of the face is also a possibility with Ramsay Hunt syndrome. It can also induce weakness, facial drooping, or paralysis on the side of the face that the virus, similar to Bieber, has infected.
Because food can fall out of the side of the weakened mouth, closing one eye, creating facial expressions, and eating might be challenging.
Steroids, such as prednisone, are used to reduce inflammation and pain relievers. In addition, antiviral medications for the herpes family, such as acyclovir or valacyclovir, may be recommended at times.
Bieber promised his supporters that he would “get better” and that he was performing “facial workouts to bring my face back to normal.”
“It will return to normal — it’s just a matter of time, and we don’t know how much time,” he added in the video. “My body is clearly telling me that I need to slow down. I hope you understand, and I’ll be taking this time to rest and relax before returning to 100 percent “Recent.”
According to Mount Sinai, complete healing is unlikely. However, some people recover in a matter of months. So the sooner it’s discovered, the better the chances of recovery.