Ramsay Hunt Syndrome

Your healthcare provider will perform a physical exam to diagnose Ramsay Hunt syndrome. They’ll ask you about your medical history and symptoms. Your provider will look for a rash and signs of weakness in your face.

Diagnosis can be difficult because the symptoms of the condition don’t always develop at the same time. Therefore, your provider may request a laboratory test to confirm the diagnosis. They may collect a sample of your saliva, blood or fluid from a blister. A pathologist will examine the sample under a microscope, looking for the varicella-zoster virus.

It isn’t necessary, but your provider may also request an imaging test called a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. This test can give your provider proof that another condition or disorder isn’t causing your symptoms.