Justin Bieber cancels Justice world tour amid health battle: What is Ramsay Hunt syndrome?

Justin Bieber has cancelled his remaining Justice World Tour dates as he continues to recover from a diagnosis with Ramsay Hunt syndrome. Photo / AP

Justin Bieber confirmed to his fans yesterday that he has officially cancelled his NZ show, along with the rest of his Justice Tour dates around the world.

His Auckland show, which fans were hoping would be rescheduled after it was postponed from its original date on December 7, 2022, his remaining shows in the US, Australia, Europe and Thailand have also been cancelled.

The pop star first took a break from touring last June after he was diagnosed with Ramsay Hunt syndrome - but resuming his shows in Europe “took a real toll” on him, he admitted in a social media post shared last September.

Justin Bieber opened up about his Ramsay Hunt syndrome in a video shared to Instagram. Photo / Instagram @justinbieber

At the time, he told fans he needed to prioritise his health, saying, “I’m going to be ok, but I need time to rest and get better.”

So, what is Ramsay Hunt Syndrome?

It’s a rare neurological disorder characterised by facial palsy, or paralysis, often accompanied by a rash affecting the ear or mouth. According to the National Organisation for Rare Disorders, an estimated five out of every 100,000 people in the US will develop RHS annually.

The syndrome, first described in 1907 by Dr James Ramsay Hunt, is caused by an infection of the varicella-zoster virus — the same one that causes chickenpox and shingles, which means anyone who has suffered either of those illnesses could also come down with RHS.

What are the symptoms?

Most RHS cases result in some degree of facial palsy, as well as a blistering, often painful rash that affects the outer area of the ear and canal — though both symptoms do not necessarily present in all cases, nor in tandem. In some, only facial paralysis occurs, requiring a blood test to confirm the presence of VZV. In others, the visible inflammation may also spread to the patient’s soft palate and throat. Other notable side effects include tinnitus, ear pain, and some hearing loss and, more rarely, amplified hearing, vertigo, nausea, loss of taste, dry mouth and dry eyes, the New York Post reports.

Last year, the Ghost singer took to Instagram to share his experience of the condition.

In a video posted on Instagram, the singer said: “It is from this virus that attacks the nerve in my ear and my facial nerves and has caused my face to have paralysis.

“As you can see, this eye is not blinking. I can’t smile on this side of my face. This nostril will not move.”

“This is pretty serious, as you can see,” Bieber said.

“I wish this wasn’t the case but obviously my body is telling me I have to slow down. I hope you guys understand. I’ll be using this time to just rest and relax and get back to 100 per cent so that I can do what I was born to do.”

Bieber then went on to say he is doing everything he can to get better and thanked fans for their encouragement and support.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Hailey Rhode Baldwin Bieber (@haileybieber)

It comes as the singer celebrated his 29th birthday yesterday.

His wife Hailey shared a post on Instagram to mark the occasion, along with several sweet photos of the couple.

She wrote in the caption, “29 never looked so good ☺️Happy Birthday to you best friend! Words couldn’t possibly sum up all that you embody. So here’s to more joy, more travel, yummy food, adventures, more peace, fun, and most of all more love.”