Ramsay Hunt Syndrome: Case Report of a Multifaceted Physical Therapy Intervention

Research describing physical therapy interventions for patients diagnosed with Ramsay Hunt Syndrome is limited. [1,2]. Ramsay Hunt Syndrome is a rare, devastating diagnosis that involves unilateral peripheral facial paralysis and in some cases vesicular rash on the ear or in the mouth. Physical therapy treatment for facial paralysis includes transcutaneous electrical stimulation, massage, neuromuscular reeducation, exercises, and limited accounts of taping [2,3]. Estimates indicate that twenty-five in 100,000 people in the United States are affected with unilateral facial paralysis, 5.7% are diagnosed as suffering from Ramsay Hunt Syndrome [4]. Patients with Ramsay Hunt Syndrome can experience severe paralysis at onset, and are less likely to recover completely when compared to other etiologies of facial paralysis [4,5]. Limitations in facial muscle activation can affect the patient’s ability to communicate emotion and speak clearly [6].