About Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS)

Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) is an inflammatory disorder where your immune system attacks your nerves, eating away at the myelin sheath covering the nerves and in severe cases the nerve itself. This interferes with the signals from your brain throughout your body. GBS typically starts with weakness, numbness, and tingling sensations on your feet and can move very quickly up your body. This can cause complete paralysis, including the muscles used for breathing. Approximately 30% of those affected by GBS will need assistance of a machine to breathe. About 5% of people will die, despite intensive care.

The exact cause of GBS remains unknown. However it is sometimes triggered by your body overreacting to a respiratory infection, like walking pneumonia, or the stomach flu. Doctors and scientists do not know why an GBS is triggered in some individuals and not others. Many cases occur without prior illness or warning. This syndrome is rare, affecting only 1 to 2 people per 100,000 worldwide. It can happen to anyone, but most often affects young adults and the elderly.

GBS can be difficult to diagnose, especially in the early stages of the illness. The only way to diagnose GBS with certainty is to preform a spinal tap (or lumber puncture) or to undergo nerve function testing.

There is no cure for GBS, only treatments to speed the recovery time and lessen the severity of the syndrome.

Plasmapharesis: This treatment — also known as plasma exchange — is a type of "blood cleansing" in which damaging antibodies are removed from your blood. Plasmapheresis consists of removing the liquid portion of your blood (plasma) and separating it from the actual blood cells. The blood cells are then put back into your body, which manufactures more plasma to make up for what was removed. It's not clear why this treatment works, but scientists believe that plasmapheresis rids plasma of certain antibodies that contribute to the immune system attack on the peripheral nerves.

Intravenous immunoglobulin: Immunoglobulin contains healthy antibodies from blood donors. High doses of immunoglobulin can block the damaging antibodies that may contribute to Guillain-Barre syndrome.

 Recovery can take months to years, depending on the individual and how severely affected they were. Recovery includes physical and occupational therapy because the nerves were damaged the muscles have shrunk and are very weak. Even after therapy is complete, the individual may need to continue at a gym to complete the recovery and regain muscle strength. Individuals affected by GBS are often fatigued very easily and sleep often, becoming tired and pushing themselves to recover more quickly can actually send them backwards into a relapse.