A complication of chickenpox or shingles caused by the varicella-zoster virus is Ramsay Hunt syndrome. Herpes zoster oticus, or Ramsay Hunt type 2, are other names for this illness.

The chickenpox virus could lie dormant in your nervous system for a long time if you contracted it as a kid. The reactivation of latent varicella-zoster virus results in a painful rash known as shingles. Ramsay Hunt refers to the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus in the facial nerve.

Who Is Affected By Ramsay Hunt Syndrome?

Anyone who's experienced chickenpox or shingles is at risk for developing Ramsay Hunt syndrome. People over the age of 60 are disproportionately affected. Very young children have been diagnosed with the illness as early as three years old.

Immunocompromised people have a higher risk of contracting the disease and a more severe course of symptoms. They also have a lower chance of making a full recovery.

Ramsay Hunt Syndrome: How Uncommon Is It?

Roughly 5 per 100,000 Americans are diagnosed with Ramsay Hunt syndrome each year. However, other scientists have found that the illness is often misdiagnosed or not recognized. Because of this, pinpointing its actual frequency is more problematic.

The condition accounts for roughly 7% of all occurrences of facial nerve paralysis and is thus the second most prevalent cause of facial nerve paralysis. In most cases of paralysis of the facial nerve, Bell's palsy is to blame.

What Exactly Triggers Ramsay Hunt Syndrome?

The facial nerve is a cranial nerve that supplies sensation to the face, tongue, and inner ear, and its reactivation by the varicella-zoster virus causes Ramsay-Hunt syndrome. Both chickenpox and shingles are brought on by the varicella-zoster virus.

If you had it as a child, the chickenpox virus might lie dormant in your nervous system for a long time. The reactivation of latent varicella-zoster virus results in a painful rash known as shingles.

The virus infects your nervous system and then moves into the skin, where it can cause painful blisters. In rare cases, the virus can cause a facial nerve disorder known as Ramsay Hunt syndrome. Experts are puzzled as to why the facial nerve is a common target for the virus.

Symptoms of Ramsay Hunt Syndrome?

Depending on which facial nerve branch is compromised, Ramsay Hunt syndrome can produce facial paralysis or stiffness on one side. As a result, you could find it hard to get some shut-eye.

It may also hinder your ability to furrow your brow or display other expressions of the face, such as a broad grin or a bitter scowl. It can also lead to facial paralysis and sagging on one side of the face. This might make it hard to eat and speak clearly.

Typically, just one side of your face will be affected by the nerve damage caused by Ramsay Hunt syndrome. In this case, you could feel the effects on one side of your face.

Is the Ramsay Hunt Syndrome Contagious?

This Ramsay Hunt syndrome is not communicable. However, having the disease indicates you are infected with the varicella-zoster virus. Contact with fluid from blisters formed by a person infected with the virus can result in the transmission of the disease.

People who have never had chickenpox or received the vaccination are at the greatest risk of contracting the illness. People with impaired immune systems are more vulnerable to the harmful effects of Ramsay Hunt syndrome. Until your blisters heal, it's best to avoid particular folks.

Is Diagnosis Possible, and How for Ramsay Hunt Syndrome?

To diagnose Ramsay Hunt syndrome, a doctor will do a physical examination. They will inquire as to your health background and current symptoms. Your doctor will examine your face for a rash and symptoms of weakness.

It might be challenging to diagnose because the symptoms don't usually appear simultaneously. Therefore, your doctor may order a lab test to make sure. They may take a saliva, blood, or blister fluid sample from you.

What Is The Healing Period For Ramsay Hunt Syndrome?

The time it takes to recover from Ramsay Hunt syndrome is proportional to how your facial paralysis is affected. Depending on the severity of the nerve injury and the patient's overall condition, symptoms may recover in a few weeks to a few months.

It might take up to a year to feel completely better. Recovery is less probable if the facial nerve is severely damaged. You can get well with antiviral drugs, but if you start taking them within three days of your symptoms, you have a greater chance of recovering.

Antiviral treatment positively affects long-term results if started soon after diagnosis. Seventy per cent of those diagnosed with Ramsay Hunt syndrome will regain full or almost full facial function.