What is Ramsay Hunt syndrome, the disease Justin Bieber suffered from that paralyzed half of his face?

In 2022, singer Justin Bieber suffered a serious virus that paralyzed half of his face , a concern that worried many of his fans. Over the following months, he made a full or near-full recovery.

The illness he was diagnosed with at the time, as he explained in a video on Instagram, is Ramsay Hunt syndrome , a condition also known as otic herpes zoster and which is a consequence of the same virus that causes chickenpox, according to the prestigious Mayo Clinic in the US.

An infection affecting the facial nerve

This viral infection affects the facial nerve near one of the ears and "can cause facial paralysis and hearing loss in the affected ear," they say.

In the video Bieber posted on Instagram , his face was seen paralyzed as a result of the disease. "The virus has attacked the nerve in my ear, my facial nerves, and has caused paralysis in my face," he explained to his followers.

The most common signs of this disease are "a painful red rash" in and around one of the ears, as well as " facial weakness or paralysis on the same side as the affected ear."

Permanent changes

Although the hearing loss and facial paralysis associated with this syndrome are temporary, they can also become permanent in some patients. Other complications include eye damage caused by difficulty closing the eyelid properly.

The Mayo Clinic also adds that people with Ramsay Hunt syndrome may also experience these other symptoms :

Bieber also experienced some of these symptoms, such as difficulty closing one eye or a change in taste. "It's becoming increasingly difficult to eat, which is extremely frustrating," the Canadian singer shared in an Instagram story.

Regarding the causes of this disease, the Mayo Clinic indicates that this syndrome "occurs in people who have had chickenpox ." Once you have recovered from it, "the virus remains in your body, sometimes reactivating in later years to cause shingles, a painful rash with fluid-filled blisters," they add.

Avoid contact with people at risk

This condition generally affects people over 60 years of age and is rare in children.

Although it is not a contagious disease, the Mayo Clinic points out that "reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus can cause chickenpox in people who have not previously had it or who have not been vaccinated against it." Furthermore, this infection "can be serious for people with immune system problems," they state.

For this reason, if you suffer from this syndrome, it is recommended that you avoid physical contact with anyone who has never had chickenpox or who has not been vaccinated, people with a weakened immune system, newborns, and pregnant women.

The only way to prevent this disease is to be vaccinated against chickenpox as a child, or to receive the shingles vaccine for people over 50 years of age.

References

Mayo Clinic. Ramsay Hunt syndrome. Accessed online at https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/ramsay-hunt-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20351783 on July 15, 2025.

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