Justin Bieber Reveals He Has Ramsay Hunt Syndrome and His Face Is Partially Paralyzed: 'I Have Hope'
By Stephanie Wenger - People Magazine
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Justin Bieber shared a health update with fans after postponing three shows on his 2022 Justice World Tour earlier this week.
The Grammy winner, 28, revealed in an Instagram video that he has been diagnosed with Ramsay Hunt syndrome which has caused him to have partial facial paralysis.
"Hey everyone. Justin here. I wanted to update you guys on what's been going on," he said. "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."
"As you can see, this eye is not blinking," he continued before he winks his other eye. "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 "Peaches" singer then addressed his fans who were "frustrated" about the postponement of his upcoming performances.
"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 is telling me I got to slow down and I hope you guys understand and I'll be using this time to rest and relax and get back to 100% so that I can do what I was born to do."
"But in the meantime," he added as he tried to smile. "This isn't it. I got to get my rest on so that I can get my face back to where it's supposed to be."
Bieber thanked his fans for their patience as he recovers.
"I'm gonna to get better and 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," he shared.
He continued, "We don't know how much time it's gonna be but it's gonna be ok and I have hope and I trust God and I trust that this is all gonna, it's all for a reason and I'm not sure what that is right now but in the meantime, I'm gonna rest. I love you guys, peace."
According to the Mayo Clinic, Ramsay Hunt syndrome occurs "when a shingles outbreak affects the facial nerve near one of your ears. In addition to the painful shingles rash, Ramsay Hunt syndrome can cause facial paralysis and hearing loss in the affected ear."
Prompt treatment of the syndrome reduces "the risk of complications, which can include permanent facial muscle weakness and deafness," according to the clinic.
Earlier this week, Bieber announced he was postponing three upcoming performances due to "non-COVID-related illness."
Two shows at Toronto's Scotiabank Arena and a stop at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. on his 2022 Justice World Tour were rescheduled.
"Can't believe I'm saying this. I've done everything to get better but my sickness is getting worse," he wrote on his Instagram Story on Tuesday. "My heart breaks that I will have to postpone these next few shows (doctors orders)."
"To all my people I love you so much and I'm gonna rest and get better," Bieber added.
In March, the singer's wife Hailey Baldwin Bieber endured her own health scare. She was hospitalized after suffering a mini-stroke.
Baldwin Bieber was later diagnosed with a patent foramen ovale or PFO, a small opening in the heart that didn't close the way it should after birth, which doctors said caused the blood clot to move from her heart to her brain, and led to her mini-stroke. She underwent a procedure to close the PFO which went "very smoothly," Baldwin Bieber said.
