Pop star Justin Bieber posted an Instagram Story on Wednesday giving fans an encouraging update on his fight to recover after being diagnosed with a paralyzing condition known as Ramsay Hunt Syndrome that left the right side of his face immobile.
Bieber’s post to fans consisted of a video set to the Tems song, “Ice T,” in which he appears at first with a blank expression. But with the caption “Wait for it” on the screen, he soon delivers a wide smile as the camera zooms in on his face, showing fans that he is making progress against his medical condition.
Ramsay Hunt Syndrome reportedly occurs after an outbreak of shingles interrupts the nerves near the ears causing various stages of facial paralysis. In some cases, there is also hearing loss — which can be permanent — though the singer has not reported if he has suffered that fate.
“Prompt treatment of Ramsay Hunt syndrome can reduce the risk of complications,” the Mayo Clinic reports.
“Treatment for Ramsay Hunt syndrome includes anti-inflammatory drugs (steroids) to reduce pain and swelling of the nerves. There is usually a good prognosis when treatment is started within three days of the onset of symptoms,” according to the website RareDiseases,org.
Last June, Bieber posted a video to Instagram letting fans know that he had to take some time off to try and deal with the medical diagnosis that left the right side of his face paralyzed and leaving his right eye unable to blink.
“So there’s full paralysis on this side of my face, so for those who are frustrated by my cancellations of the next shows, I’m just physically obviously not capable of doing them,” Bieber said in his video from June.
“This is pretty serious, as you can see. I wish this wasn’t the case but obviously my body’s telling me I gotta slow down and I hope you guys understand,” the “Baby” singer told fans in his video.
The condition caused him to cancel the remaining dates of his 2022 world tour last Sept. after he told fans that the tour had exhausted him.
“I realized that I need to make my health the priority right now. So I’m going to take a break from touring for the time being,” he said in a social media post at the time.
Follow Warner Todd Huston on Facebook at: facebook.com/Warner.Todd.Huston, or Truth Social @WarnerToddHuston