Causes, Risk Factors, And Complications Of Shingles

Facial Paralysis

Another neurological complication that can occur in individuals with shingles is facial paralysis. There's a condition known as Ramsay Hunt syndrome, otherwise called herpes zoster oticus, caused by a shingles outbreak affecting one of the facial nerves. This nerve is located near the ear. On top of the painful rash, damage to the nerve might lead to both facial paralysis and hearing loss in the affected ear. If individuals experience shingles rashes on the face, especially if the pain is accompanied by neurological issues, patients need to get medical treatment right away. The faster they are treated, the smaller the chances of permanent complications like deafness and facial paralysis are. Patients might find their face is weak or paralyzed on the same side of the face as their affected ear. The rash tends to be painful, red, and have fluid-filled blisters around and inside the ear. The paralysis and rash tend to come on at the same time. There have been rare cases in which the paralysis occurs without a visible rash.