Ramsey Hunt Syndrome
Compared with Bell’s palsy (facial paralysis without rash), patients with Ramsay Hunt syndrome often have more severe paralysis at onset and are less likely to recover completely.- C J Sweeney & D H Gilden
image by: Christina Talevska
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'I Thought I Had An Ear Pimple. Then I Was Diagnosed With A Rare Condition That Paralyzed Half My Face'
Two and half years ago, I had just finished putting in the final semester grades for my counseling class at Laval University when I felt a cramp in my right ear. I didn't know what was happening, but I assumed it would pass.
The next morning, I woke up with a lot of pain on the right side of my face, where my jaw and right ear connect, but I chalked it up to stress. I was used to feeling jaw tightness on occasion when I had a lot on my plate. But a few hours after that, I started to notice a strange twitching on the right side of my face. This does not feel normal, I thought. A few hours after those first twitches? I couldn't even blink with my right eye anymore. The twitching got…
Resources
Handling Acute Facial Droop?
If paralysis presents prior to onset of the vesicular rash, this syndrome can be indistinguishable from Bell’s palsy. Additional symptoms can help the physician distinguish Ramsay Hunt syndrome from Bell’s palsy, including severe facial pain or a vesicular rash. Whereas the mainstay of therapy for Bell’s palsy is steroids, the mainstay of therapy for shingles is both antivirals (usually acyclovir) and steroids.
Justin Bieber’s face paralysis — what is Ramsay Hunt syndrome?
The syndrome, first described in 1907 by Dr. James Ramsay Hunt, is caused by an infection of the varicella-zoster virus — the same one that causes chickenpox and shingles, which means anyone who has suffered either of those illnesses could also come down with RHS.
My Battle with Ramsay Hunt Syndrome (The First Year)
So I am going to warn ya'll now. This is not my normal "happy" post but I wanted to share with you the battle I am currently facing (no pun intended). I was recently diagnosed with Ramsay Hunt Syndrome as a result of Shingles.
My Experience With Ramsay Hunt Syndrome
My doctor looked at me, looked in my ear, asked me to close my eyes, wrinkle my brow, squench my face and then smile. I humored him even though it was almost impossible to smile through the pain. In his most compassionate doctor’s voice he explained that I had a viral infection of the facial nerve or Ramsay Hunt Syndrome. There’s lots of information on the Internet about Ramsay Hunt Syndrome, I don’t need to add to that.
Ramsay Hunt syndrome
Treatment of these patients with acyclovir and prednisone within 7 days of onset has been shown to improve the outcome of recovery from facial palsy.
Ramsay Hunt syndrome revisited–emphasis on Ramsay Hunt syndrome with multiple cranial nerve involvement
About 12% of all peripheral facial nerve palsies are caused by varicella zoster virus. In more than 50% pain is the initial symptom making the diagnosis difficult. Female gender, and in general age above 50 years, renders patients more susceptible to Ramsay Hunt syndrome. The main prognostic factor is the severity of the initial symptoms.
Ramsay Hunt Syndrome – A Diagnostic Dilemma
Ramsay Hunt syndrome is peripheral facial nerve palsy accompanied by an erythematous vesicular rash on the ear (zoster oticus) or in the mouth. Ramsay Hunt Syndrome (RHS) is a rare, severe complication of varicella zoster virus (VZV) reactivation in the geniculate ganglion. Ramsay Hunt syndrome is rare in children and affects both sexes equally. Incidence and clinical severity increases when host immunity is compromised.
Ramsay Hunt Syndrome, Three Years Later
Three years later most of my symptoms are gone. I still have a slight amount of facial scarring and an ear that functions almost as well as it used to but always feels like it has a slight pressure differential. The facial itching has stopped. It’s the memories that haunt me. Whenever I have an earache lasting more than thirty seconds, memories of intense pain come flooding back to me like a never ending nightmare.
'I Thought I Had An Ear Pimple. Then I Was Diagnosed With A Rare Condition That Paralyzed Half My Face'
"It felt like my head was on fire, or as if someone was stabbing me in the face."
Balance & Dizziness Canada
RHS is sometimes called herpes zoster oticus because of the distinctive chickenpox-like rash that usually appears in and around the ears. Some doctors use this term in reference to only the ear rash, and Ramsay Hunt syndrome for the combined ear rash and facial palsy.
Facial Palsy UK
Ramsay Hunt syndrome (RHS) is a complication of shingles. It is the name given to describe the symptoms of a shingles infection affecting the facial nerve. Shingles is caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox (varicella zoster virus, or VZV). As a result of this infection, the facial nerve becomes inflamed and irritated.
EM Daily
Classic Triad: ipsilateral facial paralysis, ear pain, vesicles in auditory canal and auricle. Facial paralysis results from CN7 involvement, however can also involve CN8 (tinnitus, hearing loss, nausea, vertigo). Ear pain usually precedes rash by hours to days.
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