What Is Ramsay Hunt Syndrome?
Ramsay Hunt syndrome is caused by the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus that causes chickenpox and shingles
After a chickenpox infection, the virus can stay in the body and lay dormant for years, said Dr. Babak Azizzadeh
a facial plastic and reconstructive specialist and head of the Facial Paralysis Institute in Los Angeles.
In a small percentage of people, the virus can get reactivated. Most of the time, it gets reactivated and people get shingles
But in some people, Ramsay Hunt syndrome occurs,” Dr. Azizzadeh said.
The syndrome has been compared to Bell’s palsy, a condition that’s similarly characterized by sudden facial paralysis and is also thought to be caused by a reactivation of a dormant viral infection
The syndrome has been known to occur in children and adults of all ages, though the elderly are considered more susceptible to it, the database said.
Men and women appear to be affected at a similar rate, medical experts say,