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The longest-serving US senator has developed encephalitis, her office said, after a bout with shingles kept her off the main committee.
Her office said Diane Feinstein, 89, also suffers from Ramsay Hunt syndrome, which can cause facial paralysis.
The statement said the encephalitis disappeared on its own, but she still suffered from Ramsay Hunt syndrome.
She returned to Washington on May 10 after an absence of nearly three months.
The California Democrat was hospitalized after being diagnosed with herpes zoster in late February and has recovered at his home in San Francisco.
Her spokesperson told the BBC on Thursday: “The senator revealed earlier that she had several complications related to her shingles diagnosis.”
“These complications include Ramsay Hunt syndrome and encephalitis,” the statement added.
And she continued, “Although her encephalitis resolved shortly after her discharge from the hospital in March, she still suffers from complications from Ramsay Hunt syndrome.”
Her aide’s statement contradicted the senator’s statement on Thursday, according to CNN. The network quoted Mrs. Feinstein as denying she had encephalitis, saying “it was not properly diagnosed” and “it’s a really bad flu.”
Encephalitis can lead to symptoms such as personality changes, seizures, confusion, and problems with vision or hearing, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Other notable people diagnosed with Ramsay Hunt syndrome include Canadian pop star Justin Bieber.
Details of Ms. Feinstein’s shingles complications had not been previously disclosed.
When she arrived at the Capitol last week, she was using a wheelchair — one her office says may be necessary from time to time because of her poor eyesight and balance since her illness.
The statement said his doctors advised him to work on a “lighter schedule”.
Upon his return, the Senate Judiciary Committee gave him a standing ovation and confirmed three of President Joe Biden’s judicial nominees.
His absence delayed the committee’s efforts to confirm the federal judges because he only enjoyed a slim, one-seat Democratic majority.
Members of her party called on her to resign, saying she was no longer fit to serve the electorate.
She is not seeking re-election in 2024, and several Democratic members of Congress – Barbara Lee, Katie Porter and Adam Schiff – are already vying to succeed her.
