London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Aug 08, 2026

Ramsay Hunt syndrome: 'It's taken away my independence'

Ramsay Hunt syndrome: 'It's taken away my independence'

Justin Bieber recently revealed he's been diagnosed with Ramsay Hunt syndrome.

The singer shared a video of himself on social media, saying the condition's forced him to cancel all his upcoming shows.

Ramsay Hunt syndrome is when a shingles outbreak affects the facial nerve near someone's ears, resulting in paralysis of parts of the face.

Nicoya Rescorla has the same condition as Justin, and says it's "taken away her independence."

"The pain has been horrendous - it's been debilitating," she tells Radio 1 Newsbeat.

The 28-year-old, from Marazion in Cornwall, got Ramsay Hunt in October 2020, and says it started with neck pain before the paralysis kicked in.

Following that, she experienced a range of other symptoms too.

"The vertigo and balance has really knocked me sideways," she adds.


'Isolated physically and mentally'


Ramsay Hunt Syndrome can't be passed from one person to another, but it is a complication from a transmissible disease called shingles.

Shingles is linked to the chickenpox virus that a lot of people can get when they're children.

According to the charity Facial Palsey UK, if the immune system becomes depressed and is less able to fight off infection, the body can become vulnerable to a reactivation of the chickenpox virus.

It says stress is often a trigger as it can weaken the immune system and people who are stressed are more likely to suffer from infections.

Nicoya says it's had an impact on her mental health.

"It's isolated me really physically and mentally because I can't just go out if I want to - I'm having to rely on my husband and my mum."

"Mentally it has knocked me for six, I'm a completely new person to what I was 20 months ago."

As well as paralysis, Nicoya has also experienced vertigo and balance problems


Even though it's been nearly two years since she first developed Ramsay Hunt, Nicoya says she's still in pain every day, despite taking medication.

"My face hasn't - and probably won't now - fully recover."

But she's hoping her balance will get better.


'Justin Bieber speaking out is so powerful'


Justin Bieber described his situation as "pretty serious."


Nicoya says him speaking out about having the condition is really important for other people who also have it.

"It's powerful for people like me and other people who are going through Ramsay Hunt syndrome.

"I mean, I never thought that I would hear Ramsay Hunt syndrome on the TV."

She also thinks raising awareness about it is vital and that there has been a lot of misinformation about the syndrome.

There have been posts on social media linking a diagnosis of Ramsay Hunt syndrome with the Covid-19 vaccine.

Despite speculation on social media, there is no evidence that suggests the jab is responsible or linked to causing Ramsay Hunt Syndrome.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Trump-Era Policy Shifts Test the Boundaries of U.S. Institutions
UK Drought Cuts Harvests and Raises Food-Security Fears
Ukraine Tells Senate Republicans Its Drone War Offers a Blueprint for America
Weight-Loss Drug Boom Tests the Limits of Prescription Advertising Rules
Trump Keeps Hegseth at Pentagon While Leaving Door Open for DeSantis
UK Clears Paramount’s Warner Bros. Discovery Deal, but US Trial Looms
UK Prosecutors Add 38 Charges Against Andrew and Tristan Tate
Taiwan’s President Joins Wartime Command Drill as China Pressure Grows
Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan Sign Mutual-Defence Pact
Government Orders Review of Prison Release Rules After Concerns Over Grooming Gang Offenders
Rail Disruption Continues Across North-West England Amid Infrastructure Problems and Engineering Closures
UK Tax Authority Proposes Broad Changes to Rules Governing Company Distributions
UK Government Moves to Protect Standing Areas Outside Pubs From Local Restrictions
Extreme Right-Wing Referrals Under UK Prevent Programme Rise 42 Percent
EU Citizens in UK Warned That Some Residency Rights May Have Been Granted in Error
Every Monitored Body of Water in England Fails Chemical Purity Standards, Government Data Shows
UK Scientists Create First Artificial Intelligence-Designed Viruses
England Orders Primary Schools to Identify Children at Risk of Becoming Disengaged From Education or Work
Government Moves to Close Prison Release Loophole Amid Concern Over Grooming Gang Offenders
UK Economy Shows Modest Growth Despite Energy Volatility and Global Supply Pressures
Police and Prosecutors Failed to Stop Sex Offender Who Later Murdered Two Women, Review Finds
Millions in England Face Longer Mental Health Waiting Times as NHS Providers Cut Spending
Met Office Warns of Heatwave as Temperatures Across England and Wales Could Reach 36 Degrees Celsius
HMRC’s 2029 Tax Shift Could Overlap Old and New Self-Assessment Bills
Thetford Disorder Prompts Expanded Police Powers Amid Asylum-Housing Protests
Cambridge Faces Calls for Independent Review of Jason Arday Appointment
Scotland’s ‘Cock of the North’ Woodland Is Being Felled After Wind Damage
Reform UK and Greens Unite Against Vast Solar Plans for Kent Marshland
New Zealand Draws Wealthy Americans With Revamped Investor Visa
Senate Panel Votes to Hold Anthony Fauci in Contempt After Fifth Amendment Testimony
Cambridge Professor Jason Arday Resigns as University Opens Inquiry Into His Credentials
Manchester Power Failure Disrupts Trains Across North West Into Friday
UK Fashion and Tourism Sectors Prepare for Strong Summer and Autumn Activity
London Residents Seek Appeal Against Approval for Chinese Super-Embassy Development
UK Environment Officials Issue Biosecurity Alert Over Rising Bluetongue Cases in Livestock
UK Charity Regulator Opens Investigations Into Donations Linked to Israeli Settlements
Gatwick Expansion and Chinese Embassy Plans Highlight Growing UK Infrastructure Disputes
UK Agriculture Authorities Warn of Rising Bluetongue Virus Cases Among Sheep Farms
UK Watchdog Finds Electronic Monitoring Failures Leaving Some Offenders Without Timely Alerts
Metropolitan Police Investigate Covent Garden Knife Attack That Injured Four Men
UK Government Confirms Severe Terror Threat Level as Prevent Programme Expands
Diageo Plans Guinness Expansion While Cutting Jobs Through Global Restructuring Programme
Bank of England Keeps UK Borrowing Costs Stable While Markets Await Future Rate Cuts
Gatwick Airport Wins Approval for Second Runway Expansion After Legal Challenges Fail
Apple Challenges UK Government Over Demand for Access to Encrypted iCloud Data
London Approves First Autonomous Taxi Licences for Wayve and Uber Passenger Trials
UK Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute Finds Advanced AI Models Showing Deceptive Behaviour in Security Tests
UK Small Boat Channel Crossings Fall Forty-Three Percent as Government Highlights France Cooperation
UK Government Plans Procurement Reforms to Boost British Jobs and Domestic Steel Supply Chains
Bank of England Holds Interest Rates at Three Point Seven Percent as Inflation Stays Above Target
×