Earlier this week, 28-year-old Canadian musician Justin Bieber announced to the world that he suffers from a rare syndrome that causes partial facial paralysis.
“I have this syndrome called Ramsay Hunt syndrome. As you can see, this eye is not blinking. I can’t smile on that side of my face. This nostril won’t move,” she said in an Instagram video that got more of seven million likes. “I wish it wasn’t like that, but obviously my body tells me I have to slow down.”
To “get back to 100 percent,” the two-time Grammy Award winner has postponed the next gigs of his tour to recover.
“I’m going to get better,” he said. “I have hope.”
2:22 Justin Bieber reveals facial paralysis as a result of Ramsay Hunt syndrome Justin Bieber reveals facial paralysis as a result of Ramsay Hunt syndrome
What is Ramsay Hunt Syndrome?
Ramsay Hunt Syndrome results from the reactivation of a viral infection, according to Dr. Charles Nduka, a plastic, reconstructive and cosmetic surgeon consultant in Brighton, England.
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“Many people will have heard of chickenpox and chickenpox can cause a reactivation of the virus in the form of tiles, which is a rash that will form in the body,” he said in an interview with Reuters. “If this rash occurs near the facial nerve, it can cause a sudden onset of facial paralysis, often associated with some pain around or behind the ear.”
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People who develop Ramsay Hunt Syndrome often have another problem while causing their immune system to be suppressed, according to Dr Nduka, who is also the co-founder of the charity Facial Palsy UK.
Patients with the syndrome will often notice that their eyes dry out and their inability to hold fluid in their mouths.
“The symptoms that Mr. Bieber has described are classic for facial paralysis,” Dr. Nduka said. “Just brushing your teeth and trying to spit out your toothpaste can be very difficult if one side of your face is paralyzed.”
Ramsay Hunt syndrome has an annual incidence of 3.2 to 4.2 cases per 1000, according to the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ).
Read more: Justin Bieber postpones concerts in Toronto, Washington due to illness
After watching the musician’s video, Dr. Nduka said he saw signs of early recovery in Bieber. To treat the syndrome, patients are usually treated with steroids and antiviral drugs, he said.
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Retired Canadian politician Olivia Chow said she was diagnosed with Ramsay Hunt Syndrome in 2013.
About 75 percent of patients with the syndrome who receive early treatment are expected to fully recover, he added.
“I see patients who are in the entertainment industry often with facial paralysis and have this very specific problem because of their livelihood,” Dr. Nduka added.
Antiviral drugs such as Valacyclovir (also known as Valtrex), Acyclovir (formerly known as Acyclovir, also known as Zovirax), or Famciclovir (also known as Famvir) are usually prescribed for seven to 10 days when Ramsay Hunt syndrome is suspected. according to Facial. Paralysis United Kingdom.
The effectiveness of the treatment, however, is time-sensitive, says the CMAJ.
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Five out of 100,000 people develop Ramsay Hunt Syndrome each year in the United States, according to the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD).
Most cases affect older adults, especially those over 60, and are extremely rare in children, NORD said.
Derick Wade, a neurological rehabilitation consultant and visiting professor at Oxford Brookes University in the UK, told Sky News that recovery time can vary significantly.
“If a nerve is damaged in this way, in some people it can recover very quickly, in a few days or a few weeks and in other people it can take several months. So it’s very unpredictable, “he said.
– Archived by Associated Press & Reuters
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