Ramsay Hunt syndrome occurs when the varicella zoster virus, the same one that causes chickenpox and shingles, infects a facial nerve near an ear.
The main symptoms are a painful rash with blisters on, in and around one ear and facial weakness or paralysis on that side. Sufferers may also feel the painful rash in their mouths and experience vertigo and hearing loss on one side.
New Democrat MP Olivia Chow announced Friday that is suffering from the virus and it’s affecting the left side of her face.
The syndrome develops in people who have had chicken pox, as that virus lies dormant in the body for years. It’s more common in people older than 60.
A doctor can diagnose the syndrome with a physical exam and, sometimes, will also take a fluid sample from a rash blister for testing. Medications may include antiviral drugs, such as acyclovir or valacyclovir, and a short course of high-dose corticosteroids, such as prednisone. To relieve severe pain, narcotics might be prescribed.
If the nerve is not badly damaged, patients may recover completely within a few weeks. If damage is severe, the patient may not fully recover. Complications may include permanent hearing loss and facial weakness, even disfigurement, as well as eye damage and persistent pain.
Overall, the earlier treatment is started, the better the outcome. If medication is begun within three days of symptoms appearing, 70 per cent of patients make a full recovery, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
While Ramsay Hunt syndrome isn’t contagious, the reactivation of the varicella zoster virus could cause chicken pox in people who haven’t been vaccinated. Ramsay Hunt patients should avoid contact with newborns, pregnant women, people with compromised immune systems and those with no history of chicken pox.
Sources: mayoclinic.com; U.S. National Library of Medicine, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov; medicinenet.com