Justin Bieber revealed earlier this week that he has been diagnosed with a rare condition - Ramsay Hunt syndrome - which has paralyzed half of his face.
The singer has canceled all shows in the wake of his shocking diagnosis. Meanwhile, his announcement has left many people wondering just what this rare condition is, and whether Bieber will be able to recover.
According to CNN, Ramsay Hunt syndrome is a neurological disorder caused by the varicella-zoster virus. This virus lays dormant in many adults who suffered from shingles or chickenpox when they were younger. However, it only causes facial paralysis if it suddenly reactivates and infects a nerve in the head near the inner ear.
Exactly what triggers the virus to reactivate is unknown. However, common symptoms are easy to spot and include a rash inside and around the ear and weakness or paralysis to one side of the face. The condition can also affect hearing, and sufferers often experience tinnitus or even partial hearing loss.
So far, Bieber has revealed that he is struggling to move his mouth and eye on one side of his face and that he is having trouble eating food.
The sort of treatment he can expect to undergo will include steroids, pain medication, and antiviral medicines such as acyclovir or valacyclovir.
In a video posted to Instagram, the singer reassured fans that he would get better in time.
"It will go back to normal - it's just time and we don't know how much time, but it's going to be OK," he said.
"Obviously my body's telling me I gotta slow down. I hope you guys understand and I'll be using this time to just rest and relax and get back to 100%," the pop star added.
According to Mount Sinai, chances of recovery are greatly increased if you catch the condition early. "If there is not much damage to the nerve, you should get better completely within a few weeks. If damage is more severe, you may not fully recover, even after several months," the website states.
It goes on to explain that "if the treatment is started within 3 days after the symptoms begin" then "most people make a full recovery". Bieber has not yet revealed how quickly he began treatment after his symptoms began.
