Epidemiology

The incidence of Ramsay Hunt syndrome is approximately 5 per 100,000 people per year.[3]​ This is in comparison to Bell’s palsy, which has an incidence around 3 to 6 times greater at 15 to 30 per 100,000 people per year.​[4] It is estimated that 3% to 18% of cases of peripheral facial paralysis are caused by Ramsay Hunt syndrome.[2]

Reactivation of varicella zoster, including Ramsay Hunt syndrome, can occur at any age but is most common in people aged >50 years.[1][5][6]

The syndrome can affect people of any age, but it is more common in people aged >50 years, and it is extremely rare in children.[5]​​

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