Justin Bieber announced on Friday that he has Ramsay Hunt Syndrome.
It’s causing paralysis in his face and making it hard to eat food.
After Justin announced his diagnosis, PEOPLE talked to
Dr. Amit Kochhar
, MD.
Kochhar is the director of the Facial Nerve Disorders Program at Pacific Neuroscience Institute at Providence Saint John's Health Center.
He said that RHS is a “very, very rare disorder,” with only 5 out of 100,000 people contracting it.
People who had chicken pox as a child face a possibility of contracting it.
Aside from facial paralysis, people may face hearing loss, severe vertigo, rashes, blisters, headaches, and vomiting.
Fortunately, it can be treated with high dose steroids and antivirals at home.
That being said, around 25% of people may develop long-term nerve damage.
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