In news– Pop sensation Justin Bieber has recently revealed that he has been diagnosed with a condition called Ramsay Hunt Syndrome, which has fully paralysed the right side of his face.
What is Ramsay Hunt Syndrome?
- Ramsay Hunt Syndrome is neurological disease in which a virus – 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 palsy or paralysis, which means facial muscles in the infected person cannot receive necessary signals to function properly.
- There are 12 cranial nerves in the body and Ramsay Hunt Syndrome is the viral infection impacting the 7th cranial nerve that is involved in facial movements.
- The inflammation caused by the Varicella Zoster Virus makes the nerve ineffective.
- The symptoms of this Syndrome include painful, red rash and blisters in and around the ear, and facial paralysis on the same side.
- Patients also report hearing loss in the ear that has been impacted apart from Tinnitus or ringing sounds and inability to close the eye causes dryness.
- It is treated using antiviral drugs, steroids and physiotherapy.
- The disease is not contagious but can lead to chickenpox in those not vaccinated for the disease.
- The disease is reversible.
- Patients get cured within 15 days to three months of starting the treatment.
The Varicella Zoster Virus (VZV)-
- It is the same virus that causes chickenpox and shingles.
- According to the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, this virus belongs to the herpesvirus group and can stay in the body as a latent infection.
- The virus can stay dormant in a person’s body and can get reactivated due to weakening of the immune system.
- Stress is also considered a trigger as it depresses the immune system.
- Some reports also suggest that T-cell dysfunction caused by coronavirus infection can reactivate VZV.
