NY Post - Bieber forced off tour after developing Ramsay Hunt syndrome - pics

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Justin Bieber is experiencing paralysis in his face after being diagnosed with a rare disorder.

“I wanted to update you guys on what’s been going on. Obviously, as you can probably see from my face, I have, a, this syndrome called Ramsay Hunt syndrome and it is from this virus that attacks the nerve in my ear and my facial nerves and has caused my face to have paralysis,” the pop star, 28, said in an Instagram video posted Friday.

According to New York’s Mount Sinai hospital, Ramsay Hunt syndrome is marked by a painful rash around the ear, on the face or on the mouth. It manifests when the varicella-zoster virus infects a nerve in the head, sometimes causing paralysis.

The syndrome, first described in 1907 by Dr. James Ramsay Hunt, is caused by an infection of the varicella-zoster virus — the same one that causes chickenpox and shingles, which means anyone who has suffered either of those illnesses could also come down with RHS.

RHS is considered generally treatable if caught within three days of symptom onset, using antiviral medications such as acyclovir or famciclovir, alongside anti-inflammatory corticosteroids, such as prednisone.

Unfortunately for some, hearing loss and paralysis could become permanent.