On Friday, Canadian singer Justin Bieber announced that he had Ramsay Hunt Syndrome. Half of his face is paralyzed and unfortunately for many fans he will not be able to appear in the near future. What is Hint Hunt Syndrome and does it have a cure? That is, will Bieber be able to perform again soon?
Ramsey Hunt Syndrome (Type 2) is named after the American neurologist who discovered it, James Ramsey Hunt. It is caused by a herpes virus called varicella zoster. It is the same virus that causes chickenpox. After recovery from chickenpox the virus remains dormant in the body and can erupt and cause shingles, or Hints Syndrome, also called herpes zoster uticus.
The dormant viruses remain hidden in the nervous system, and may re-emerge even decades after patients have recovered from chickenpox. It is not yet known why this outbreak occurs, or how it can be predicted. However, it is known to be associated with a decrease in immune system activity, for example due to stress, other diseases or treatments that suppress the immune system.
If the recurrence of the virus is in the facial nerve, it causes Hints Hunt syndrome, whose symptoms include paralysis of one side of the face, as in Bieber, and a painful rash. Sometimes patients suffer from hearing impairment and even deafness, impaired vision or impaired speech. The syndrome affects men and women equally. In the United States about one in 20,000 people suffers from the syndrome in a given year, but it usually breaks out in old age, and is very rare in young people and children.
Is there a treatment for the syndrome?
Most people with the syndrome recover from it, and eventually they return to full feeling, and the movement of their facial muscles is completely restored. However, there are people who are left with permanent paralysis, and the recovery of the rest tends to be long and last for several weeks, and sometimes months.
Clinical studies have shown that treatment with steroids and anti-herpes medications, such as acyclovir, can aid in recovery and reduce the risk of complications. Treatment is especially effective when given within three days of the onset of symptoms. On the other hand, exercising the facial muscles, as Bieber said he does, does not seem to speed up recovery, although it is also not harmful. Vaccine against the virus and ricella zoster can prevent the onset of shingles and Ramsey Hunt syndrome.
Paralysis on one side of the face is reminiscent of another syndrome, called “Bell’s paralysis.” However, in people with Ramsey Hunt syndrome, the paralysis is usually more severe at the beginning of the disease, and their chances of reaching full recovery are lower. Also, in many cases, but not always, Ramsey Hunt syndrome is accompanied by a rash on the ear or on the tongue.
The cause of paralysis in Bell’s name is unknown, but a connection to the herpes simplex virus (lip herpes) is suspected. It is therefore advisable to consider treatment with herpes viruses in any case of facial paralysis, rather than waiting for a final diagnosis.
We wish Justin Bieber a full recovery from the paralysis, and that he can return to appear soon.
For more articles on the website of the Davidson Institute for Scientific Research >>>