Facial paralysis: the case of Justin Bieber and other causes and treatments –

In recent weeks, Justin Bieber has returned to the news due to a not very good situation: the musician was dealing with facial paralysis. In his case, the condition was caused by a specific syndrome called Ramsay Hunt.

According to doctor Jose Ricardo Gurgel Testa, an otorhinolaryngologist at Hospital Paulista, the condition is precisely characterized by facial paralysis, intense otalgia (that is, earache) and vesicles in the auricle. It may still be associated with hearing loss and dizziness.

This syndrome, in particular, is caused by an infection of the facial nerves caused by herpes zoster virusthe same that causes chickenpox and chicken pox (which can be prevented by vaccination).

“As HR syndrome is caused by the varicella herpes zoster virus, treatment combines antivirals, corticoids and eye care in addition to physiotherapy exercises”, explains the doctor.

FACIAL PALSY: OTHER CAUSES

Justin Bieber’s case is not unique, although Ramsay Hunt syndrome is rare. Facial paralysis is a relatively common condition and can be caused, according to Dr. José, due to congenital conditions, neoplasms, bacterial infections, trauma or unknown causes.

An interesting fact is that even stress, extreme fatigue, low immunity and sudden changes in temperature can cause facial paralysis. These cases, called Bell’s palsy, happen when the nerves in the face are affected for some reason, leading to symptoms such as a crooked mouth, difficulty moving the face, and/or a lack of expression in one part of the face.

This condition, according to the doctor, affects about 80,000 Brazilians a year and, in addition to changing the shape of the face and facial expressions, it can also change the ways of communicating and people’s self-esteem.

“The symptom that draws the most attention is the sudden, partial or total loss of movement on one side of the face, which can get worse for a few days in a row”, explains the doctor.

TREATMENT FOR FACIAL PALSY

Before thinking about treatments, it is important to reinforce that early diagnosis is essential for the complete recovery of facial movements: “Facial paralysis is a medical emergency and should make the patient seek an emergency room for the first care as soon as possible” , alert. “The early diagnosis and treatment are crucial factors in the result of improvement or cure.”

From then on, the treatment will depend on the cause, but, as a rule, requires a multifactorial approach, with a combination of medications, physiotherapy and follow-up with speech therapists.

Physiotherapy and speech therapy, by the way, will stimulate facial and speech mime muscles, as well as help to avoid contractures and atrophy of local muscle fibers.

In this context, the improvement depends on some factors, such as the type and extent of the damage suffered by the facial nerve, the clinical conditions and the age of the patient. In some cases, facial paralysis regresses without treatment as the swelling of the nerve subsides spontaneously.