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Guillain-Barre Syndrome is a rare condition where your immune system attacks your nerves. Thus causing a tingling sensation in various parts of your body. In some serious cases, this syndrome can turn muscle weakness into paralysis. GBS can affect people of all ages and demographics but is more common in adults and males.
To learn more about what Guillain-Barre Syndrome is, along with its symptoms, causes, and treatment, please keep reading.
Guillain-Barre Syndrome, or GBS, is an acute disorder in which the immune system attacks part of the peripheral nervous system. Therefore, it often causes a paralytic condition, loss of certain sensations such as touch, pain, and heat. Furthermore, it affects muscle control and movements.
There are mainly four variants of Guillain-Barre Syndrome, namely:
Acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (AIDP) is characterised by progressive weakness along with mild changes in sensory neurons. These are often followed by motor weakness and, in some rare cases, respiratory failure.
AIDP is the most prevailing type of GBS in Europe and North America. Some of its common indications include weakness of muscles starting from the lower end of the body and spreading upwards.
Miller-Fisher Syndrome, or MFS, is one of the rarest variants of Guillain-Barre Syndrome. Unlike AIDP, this variant affects the upper end of the body first and gradually spreads downwards. Moreover, it involves the cranial nerves, weakening the muscle that controls eye movement and others, including those for balance and coordination.
This type of GBS is of rare prevalence in western countries and occurs more commonly in Asian countries like Japan and Taiwan.
This type of GBS is more frequent in Japan, China and Mexico. Here, the immune system attacks the axons of the motor neurons.
In acute motor axonal neuropathy, the degeneration of motor neurons may cause motor weakness, areflexia, ataxia and acute paralysis.
AMSAN is another paralytic disorder like AMAN. However, in this variant, the sensory nerves are also affected along with motor nerves.
It is characterised by the onset of sensory impairments such as the inability to sense the position of limbs, progressive distal weakness, and loss of tendon reflexes. AMSAN is more prevalent in Asia and Latin America.
The symptoms of GBS are progressive in nature. Once started, they begin to spread rapidly. Here are 13 Guillain-Barre Syndrome symptoms:
According to experts Guillain-Barre Syndrome occurs when your body’s immune system attacks the nerves instead of providing a defence against germs and infections. This is a classic example of an autoimmune condition, which means that the immune system attacks one’s own body tissues.
The exact cause behind this syndrome is unknown but there are certain possible triggers. Two of them are:
It is seen that in most cases GBS develops after a few days and sometimes weeks after an infection. The list below highlights the common infections that can lead to Guillain-Barre Syndrome:
Previously, vaccination for flu was associated with the developing cause of Guillain-Barre Syndrome. However, later research proved the chances of developing GBS after the vaccination is very rare.
Although the exact reason behind the onset of this condition is unknown, most people who develop GBS experience a bacterial or viral infection shortly earlier.
The risk factors for Guillain-Barre Syndrome are as follows:
Guillain-Barre is most commonly associated with bacterial and viral infections. According to various studies, people who experience the following infections earlier may have a higher risk of developing GBS:
Guillain-Barre Syndrome diagnosis can be problematic in the early stages, as its symptoms clash with other common neurological disorders.
Nonetheless, the three most common methods include the following
Guillain-Barre Syndrome has no permanent cure. However, the symptoms and severity can be treated or reduced.
In most cases, the symptoms start to stabilise and fade on their own after a few weeks or months. Rare conditions require hospitalisation and supportive care such as breathing assistance.
The two common treatments that aim to minimise the severity include:
Other than these, medications can be given in the case of:
In addition, some people may require additional help with the movement of limbs and walk. It includes physical training, physiotherapy, etc.
It can be emotionally challenging to cope if you are diagnosed with Guillain-Barre Syndrome. Although you can fully recover with support and treatment, managing stress during the ailment period is also important.
Therefore, you can follow the following three steps to manage GBS:
Now that you have a clear idea about what Guillain-Barre Syndrome is, along with its symptoms and causes, it will help you identify the condition faster. Therefore, as soon as you notice any of the signs and symptoms, consult a professional immediately.
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Disclaimer #2: This information is added only for informative purposes and collected from different sources across the Internet. Digit Insurance is not promoting or recommending anything here. Please verify the information before making any decisions.
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