Fans were shocked by Bieber's latest diagnosis, but his health issues don't end there. Photo / @justinbieber
Justin Bieber has just revealed he has been diagnosed with Ramsay Hunt syndrome, which has left the right side of his face paralysed.
But this isn't the first health struggle the Canadian hitmaker has encountered, The Sun reports.
On June 10, the Peaches singer took to Instagram to explain why he had to postpone some recent tour dates.
He shared a short video showing that one side of his face is fully paralysed as he explained: "I have this syndrome called Ramsay Hunt."
The star revealed it has affected a nerve in his ear, causing paralysis.
"As you can see this eye is not blinking," Justin shared while pointing to his right eye.
He continued: "This nostril will not move ... so there's full paralysis on this side of my face."
"This is pretty serious as you can see," the entertainer said after acknowledging that his fans were left "frustrated" by the "cancellation of shows".
"I gotta get my rest on so I can get my face where it's supposed to be ..." he added.
Bieber revealed he's working on facial exercises to get back to health.
Ramsay Hunt syndrome is 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.
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.
In January 2020, Bieber revealed he had been battling Lyme disease.
The disease can be spread to humans by infected ticks and causes symptoms like tiredness, aches and loss of energy, that can last for years.
Bieber broke the news again via Instagram, writing: "While a lot of people kept saying Justin Bieber looks like s**t, on meth etc. they failed to realize [sic] I've been recently diagnosed with Lyme disease."
He added: "It's been a rough couple of years but I'm getting the right treatment that will help treat this so far incurable disease and I will be back and better than ever."
Bieber found the disease had a big impact on his mental health.
He revealed to his fans he had "been struggling a lot" and "just feeling super disconnected and weird."
At the same time as his Lyme disease battle, Bieber suffered from a "serious case" of Epstein-Barr virus, commonly known as mono.
In a YouTube docuseries, Justin Bieber: Seasons, he opened up more about his mental health issues.
He spoke about how he hit rock bottom, which left him "really, really suicidal" and in "constant pain."
After the success of his debut album Baby and his mega-hit of the same name, Bieber struggled to cope with global fame.
He said: "Being an entertainer can be very self-serving if you let it, because everyone is screaming for you and you've got to constantly go back to the 'Why? Why am I singing for all these people? Is it because I want to feel good about myself? Or to make others feel good about themselves?'"
At home and in the studio, Bieber uses an oxygen chamber to combat his anxiety.
He also said he "strongly believes" in medication to help with mental health issues.
In the early stages of his career, the singer was a frequent consumer of various illegal substances.
Bieber described his drug use as an "escape" from the pressures of fame at a young age.
In 2014, he was arrested in Miami Beach, Florida on suspicion of driving under the influence (DUI) in his Lamborghini.
He was later released on a $2,500 bond.
Bieber decided to get sober as the drugs took their toll on his body and mind.
In the Seasons documentary, he revealed: "I decided to stop because I felt, brah I was like dying.
"My security and stuff were coming into my room at night to check my pulse. People don't know how serious it got."
As he made the decision to embrace sobriety, Justin then met his wife Hailey, 25.
They have been married since 2018.
In February 2022, Bieber was forced to postpone a series of dates on his Justice World Tour after he tested positive for Covid-19.
However, he did not suffer from any major symptoms and was quickly back on the road.
Bieber is a keen skateboarder, and while he's showing off his skills, some stunts have turned into painful incidents.
In 2014, he was filmed falling to the pavement as he tried out some tricks in New York.
In March this year, Hailey suffered a blood clot in her brain which caused her to suffer a transient ischaemic attack (TIA) also known as a ministroke.
The model described the incident as "the scariest moment of her life" as she lost the ability to speak and her face started drooping.
Doctors at UCLA later told her that she had a grade 5 PFO (patent foramen ovale), which is a hole in the heart.
Following the shocking discovery, Hailey underwent a procedure to repair the PFO.
She reassured her followers that she is now "much better" and that she is "recovering really well".
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