JUSTIN BIEBER PAUSES WORLD TOUR
“SO FOR THOSE WHO ARE FRUSTRATED BY MY CANCELLATIONS OF THE NEXT SHOWS, I’M JUST PHYSICALLY, OBVIOUSLY NOT CAPABLE OF DOING THEM. I HAVE THIS 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. AS YOU CAN SEE, THIS EYE IS NOT BLINKING. I CAN’T SMILE WITH THIS SIDE OF MY FACE, SO THERE IS FULL PARALYSIS IN THIS SIDE OF MY FACE”
Canadian pop star Justin Bieber sent his fans around the world into a tizzy on Friday by announcing that he would be taking a break from performing as he had suffered paralysis on one side of his face.
The singer explained in a video posted on his verified Instagram account that he has Ramsay Hunt Syndrome, which has left him unable to move half of his face and therefore, unable to perform on stage. In the emotional Instagram video he said he had had to cancel a few of his concert dates.
The 28-year-old pop singer announced the suspension of his Justice World Tour just hours before his first scheduled concert in Toronto. He had started the tour in 2022 with a 52-city North American leg on February 18 in San Diego.
Bieber is scheduled to perform in New Delhi on October 28. It is not known whether he will make a full recovery by then.
The World Tour has reportedly sold more than 1.3 million tickets so far.
Ramsay Hunt Syndrome is a complication of shingles that occurs when an outbreak affects the facial nerve near a ear. It can cause hearing loss as well as facial paralysis.
“As you can probably see from my face, I have 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. As you can see, this eye is not blinking. I can’t smile with this side of my face, this nostril will not move, so there is full paralysis in this side of my face,” the two-time Grammy Award winner said in the post.
The ailment is characterised by a painful rash around the ear, on the face, or on the lips. It occurs when the varicella-zoster virus infects a nerve in the head, explains Dr Charan Tej Koganti, Neuro psychiatrist, KIMS Hospitals. “Varicella zoster virus causes chickenpox in children and shingles in adults. Here the virus that is inactive for decades is reactivated and spreads to affect facial nerves. The symptoms vary from case to case,” says Dr Charan Tej.
The facial muscles affected may be weak or feel stiff, and could make it impossible for the affected individuals to smile, wrinkle the forehead or close their eye on the affected side. Speech may become slurred too.
“A diagnosis of Ramsay Hunt Syndrome is based on thorough clinical evaluation, a detailed patient history and identification of characteristic symptoms. Neurologists also use electromyographs, nerve conduction studies, MRI etc. to study the problem” adds Dr Charan.
Dr J Anish Anand, Consultant Internal Medicine at Apollo Hospitals, Jubilee Hills, says “Immediate treatment of the Ramsay Hunt Syndrome can reduce the number and severity of complications, which could result in permanent facial muscle weakness and deafness.”
Pop star, suffering from Ramsay Hunt Syndrome, has suspended his ongoing Justice World Tour. The fate of the Delhi Concert on Oct 28 hangs in balance. Meanwhile, we find out more about the ailment
THE AILMENT IS CHARACTERISED BY A PAINFUL RASH AROUND THE EAR, ON THE FACE, OR ON THE LIPS. IT OCCURS WHEN THE VARICELLA-ZOSTER VIRUS INFECTS A NERVE IN THE HEAD. ITS THE SAME VIRUS THAT CAUSES CHICKENPOX IN CHILDREN AND SHINGLES IN ADULTS. HERE THE VIRUS THAT IS INACTIVE FOR DECADES IS REACTIVATED AND SPREADS TO AFFECT FACIAL NERVES. THE SYMPTOMS VARY FROM CASE TO CASE,”
— DR CHARAN TEJ KOGANTI, NEURO PSYCHIATRIST, KIMS HOSPITALS.