Guillain-Barre Syndrome

Guillain-Barre Syndrome, or GBS, is an autoimmune disease that causes a weakening and progressive loss of feeling in the body that can quickly develop into paralysis. Guillain-Barre Syndrome is more common in men than women and can develop at any age although the most common ages of onset are between the ages of fifteen and thirty-five or between fifty and seventy. Guillain-Barre Syndrome strikes one in 100,000 people and is fatal in 5-10% of the cases. 80% of the people who suffer from Guillain-Barre Syndrome start to see symptoms five days to three weeks after a surgery, vaccine, or infection that affects the myelin cover around nerves. The nerves become inflamed resulting in nerve damage that makes proper response to brain signals difficult for muscles.

Symptoms of Guillain-Barre Syndrome

Guillain-Barre Syndrome begins with weakness in the legs that spreads up the torso and develops into a tingling or numbness in the limbs. In the severe cases, this leads to full paralysis and difficulty speaking or swallowing. If the diaphragm is affected, it can cause difficulty breathing.

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