Justin Bieber Reveals He Has ‘Full Paralysis’ on One Side of His Face Due to Ramsay Hunt Syndrome
Justin Bieber is sharing with fans the serious reason why he recently paused his Justice World tour. The pop star explained in a video on Friday (June 10) that he has been diagnosed with Ramsay Hunt syndrome.
“I wanted to update you guys on what’s been going on,” Bieber began his message. “Obviously, 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.”
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According to the Mayo Clinic, Ramsay Hunt syndrome happens when a case of the shingles impacts the facial nerve near the ear. It can cause a painful rash as well as paralysis and hearing loss. The medical center also explains that Ramsay Hunt is caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox, but that quick treatment can reduce the risk of complications.
In the video, the two-time Grammy winner points out the physical effects he’s experiencing. “As you can see, this eye is not blinking, I can’t smile on this side of my face,” he shared, pointing to the impacted areas. “This nostril will not move. So full paralysis in this side of my face.”
“So for those who are frustrated by the cancellations of my next shows, I’m just physically obviously not capable of doing them,” he explained. “This is pretty serious, as you can see. I wish this wasn’t the case, but obviously my body’s telling me I gotta slow down.”
Bieber noted he’d be taking some downtime to rest and try to get himself back to full health so he can get back to performing.
“I’m gonna get better,” he assured his followers. “I’m doing all these facial exercises to get my face back to normal and it will go back to normal. It’s just time, and we don’t know how much time it’s gonna be. But it’s gonna be OK, I hope. I trust God. I trust that this is all gonna … it’s all for a reason, I’m not sure what that is right now.”
“But in the meantime, I’m gonna rest, and I love you guys,” he concluded. “Peace.”
The “Honest” singer first shared in a June 7 Instagram Story that he was postponing some tour dates due to a health issue. “I’ve done everything to get better but my sickness is getting worse,” he wrote at the time.
The star’s tour was originally slated to kick off in 2020, but was delayed first to 2021, then once again to 2022 due to the global COVID-19 pandemic.
Watch Bieber’s announcement video below: