Canadian singer Justin Bieber, who recently canceled two concerts he was scheduled to perform in the Canadian city of Toronto, announced in a post on his official account on “Instagram” on Friday, that he suffers from a rare disease that has paralyzed one side of his face, forcing him to cancel the remaining concerts within his tour.
“Hello everyone (…) I have Ramsay-Hunt syndrome, which you can see on my face,” the international star said in a video clip posted on his Instagram account, which is followed by 240 million users.
Ramsay Hunt syndrome occurs when the “Schengels” virus infects a facial nerve near the ear and stops movement in half of the face. On average, Ramsay Hunt syndrome lasts about three weeks.
“This side of my face is completely paralyzed,” he said, explaining that he is unable to blink except through one eye or smile except from a certain side of his mouth.
“So for those of you who were frustrated with my upcoming concerts being canceled, I’m not physically able to bring them back. My health is very delicate as you can see,” added Bieber, 28.
While Bieber was scheduled to perform two concerts in the famous “Madison Square Garden” in New York today, Monday and tomorrow, Tuesday, and then complete his tour with a number of concerts in the United States before heading to Europe, the singer did not indicate any information regarding the resumption of the tour.
Bieber had postponed his concert tour twice due to the pandemic, and the cancellation of his concerts in Toronto angered some of his fans on the communication sites.
Bieber said he puts his face in certain exercises and takes time to “relax and relax to get him back in good health”.
It is noteworthy that Justin Bieber became famous when he was 13 years old, and became a global popular phenomenon with songs such as (Baby) and (Believe).
According to the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD), Ramsay Hunt syndrome is rare, affecting about 5 out of every 100,000 people in the United States, according to one estimate, and it is most often affected by older adults.
How is Ramsay Hunt syndrome diagnosed and treated?
The syndrome is usually diagnosed through a detailed medical history and identification of the characteristic rash and facial paralysis, and this can be difficult, as symptoms may not appear at the same time, according to NORDSays Mayo Clinic In some cases the rash may be completely absent, and once Ramsay Hunt syndrome has been diagnosed, antivirals and steroids are recommended.
How severe is Ramsay Hunt syndrome?
According to the British Charity Association Facial Palsy UKImmediate treatment can make a big difference in patient outcomes. About 70 percent of those receiving antivirals recover within three days of onset of symptoms. If this does not happen, the chances of complete reversal of symptoms drop to 50 percent.
The charity says mild cases can resolve in a few weeks, but more serious nerve damage leads to longer recovery time and reduced chances of a full return to health.
Singer Justin Bieber has said he is focusing on resting and doing facial exercises to help him recover, adding that he will be back to normal, without specifying how long he needs to recover.