Multi-Grammy winner Justin Bieber on Friday said he is suffering from Ramsay Hunt syndrome, a rare disorder that paralyzed half of the superstar performer's face.
Beiber announced that he will be taking a break from work as he needs time to recover. Apologising to his fans, he said that his condition is "pretty serious" and that is the reason why some of his shows were cancelled in recent times.
In the video, the 28-year-old pop singer explained, "As you can see, this eye is not blinking, I can't smile on this side of my face, this nostril will not move. So, there's full paralysis on this side of my face." "So for those who are frustrated by my cancellations of the next shows, I'm just physically, obviously, not capable of doing them. This is pretty serious, as you can see," he added.
Beiber said that he has been doing facial exercises to recover but that he does not know how long it will take to recover.
What is Ramsay Hunt syndrome?
Ramsay Hunt syndrome is a rare neurological disorder characterized by paralysis of the facial nerve and a rash affecting the ear or mouth. In this disorder, a virus called Varicella Zoster causes inflammation of the nerves involved in facial movements. When the nerves get inflamed, they lose their ability to function, leading to temporary facial paralysis.
The symptoms of Ramsay Hunt syndrome include severe pain in the ear, painful rash on the eardrum, ear canal, earlobe, tongue, and roof of the mouth on the side with the affected nerve, hearing loss on one side, weakness on one side of the face that causes difficulty closing one eye, eating, making expressions, etc.
The disease is not contagious but it can lead to chickenpox in those not vaccinated for the disease. Besdies, it is not uncommon in India. The incidence rate in India is five cases per lakh every year.
Ramsay Hunt syndrome is treated using anti-viral drugs, steroids and physiotherapy. “It is very much treatable and recovery can take two to three weeks. It is very important to consult a doctor within three days of the onset of the symptoms, otherwise residual weakness can bother you for a longer time period,” Dr Vivek Kumar, senior director, Neurology, Max Super Speciality Hospital, Patparganj, told Indian Express.
