Ramsey Hunt syndrome or Ramsey disease is a group of genetic diseases that affect the facial nerve
The facial nerve, which controls the facial muscles, also travels through a small bony passage at the back of the head.
Ramsey Hunt syndrome can be caused by chickenpox or shingles. After chickenpox, the virus continues to live in your nervous system. When the shingles wears off, your body's immune system begins to fight it off.
However, there are some symptoms that occur when this condition develops, and these include: red or inflamed eye, ear infection, and / or severe neck pain. These symptoms usually begin in early childhood, although you may not notice any symptoms if you have had chickenpox or shingles.
If you do not have these symptoms, you may be suffering from a more serious problem, including a neurological disorder such as multiple sclerosis. This type of disease can affect the facial nerve or even the entire neck. Symptoms are usually worse with chickenpox and are often nonspecific. Because of this, it is important to see a doctor for diagnosis.
As you can imagine, symptoms can differ from person to person, but they are usually associated with pain in the facial area. Your doctor may prescribe anti-inflammatory medications to relieve discomfort. He or she will need to have blood tests done to rule out any health conditions that may be causing the symptoms.
If your symptoms are caused by a virus, your doctor may want to do a throat culture to see if there are any viral organisms in your throat. If so, it is possible that your symptoms are caused by Ramsay Hunt Syndrome. If culture shows no bacteria causing the virus are present, the symptoms may be related to another disease.
If your symptoms are caused by a virus, your doctor will likely do a number of tests to determine whether or not Ramsay Hunt Syndrome is to blame. The most common tests will include a culture, viral culture, or immunoglobulin M (IgM). test, which helps to tell if you have chickenpox or shingles, and PCR testing, which helps to determine if your virus is still alive.
There are various medical treatments for Ramsay syndrome, including antiviral medication and surgery. Your doctor may also recommend that you take prescription drugs to help the symptoms. Many people find that anti-septic ointment and corticosteroids help to ease the pain, and some might opt for photocoagulation. This procedure uses lasers to make sure the affected part of your skin is completely sealed up.
If you think that Ramsay Hunt Syndrome is to blame, you should discuss treatment options with your doctor. Some doctors recommend that you seek surgery, since the condition can cause permanent scarring, and the surgery will also help to relieve the pain. You should also discuss other options with your doctor such as wearing protective gloves at night so that the infected area is kept dry.
While these symptoms are unpleasant, you should remember that your skin will continue to heal and that they will probably go away on their own. As long as they do not recur, you should be fine.
Ramsay Hunt Syndrome is a very rare type of facial palsy, but it is not as serious as you might think. If you find that you have this condition, you should discuss your symptoms with your doctor as soon as possible. If you do experience any new symptoms, you should discuss them with your doctor right away in order to get treatment as quickly as possible.
If you have an accident at work, you may find that the injury is more serious than you originally thought, so you should tell your employer right away so that the proper treatment can be taken. In most cases, your condition will disappear on its own, but it is always better to be safe than sorry.
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