Justin Bieber announced Friday that he has been diagnosed with Ramsay Hunt Syndrome, a type of facial paralysis caused by the shingles virus.
In a video posted on Instagram, the 28-year-old Canadian pop star was seen struggling to move her right side of her face as she explained the extent of her symptoms.
“That’s pretty serious as you can see. I wish it wasn’t like that,” he said, explaining why he was forced to cancel two recent concerts in Toronto.
So what is Ramsay Hunt Syndrome?
Chickenpox virus, which also causes shingles and chickenpox, usually infects a facial nerve near the inner ear, causing weakness, inflammation, and sometimes pain in the surrounding areas.
According to a report in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ), Ramsay Hunt type 2 syndrome has an annual incidence rate of 3.2 to 4.2 cases per 1,000 people.
Speaking to CTV news channel on Friday, emergency doctor Dr. Kashif Pirzada said it was “very unusual” for someone of Bieber’s age to be diagnosed with the virus.
“It usually affects people with compromised immune systems and the elderly,” Pirzada said. “It can be quite disabling, it can make your voice change. It can cause dizziness, dizziness, balance problems and hearing problems.”
Justin Bieber has announced that he has been diagnosed with Ramsay Hunt Syndrome. (Instagram / Justin Bieber)
Treating the virus effectively is time-sensitive, according to the CMAJ. If treatment begins within three days of diagnosis, paresis or partial paralysis, it is resolved by 75 percent. If treatment begins four to seven days after diagnosis, or more than eight days, the paresis resolves by 48 and 30 percent, respectively.
Ramsay Hunt syndrome is most often treated with antiviral drugs and complete recovery can occur within a few weeks.
In more severe cases, some people never regain full control of the affected part of the face. However, most people recover completely, Pirzada said.
For Bieber, he is confident his face will return to “normalcy” and said he is currently doing facial exercises and resting.
Former Canadian politician Olivia Chow was also diagnosed with Ramsay Hunt Syndrome in 2013, which left her with limited movement on one side of her face.