What is Guillain-Barr Syndrome?

Guillain-Barr syndrome is a disorder in which the body's immune system attacks pa rt of the peripheral nervous system. The first symptoms of this disorder include varying d egrees of weakness or tingling sensations in the legs. In many instances, the weakness and abnorma l sensations spread to the arms and upper body. These symptoms can increase in intensity until the musc les cannot be used at all and the patient is almost totally paralyzed. In these cases, the disorder is li fe-threatening and is considered a medical emergency. The patient is often put on a ventilator to ass ist with breathing. Most patients, however, recover from even the most severe cases of Guillain-Barr synd rome GBS), although some continue to have some degree of weakness. Guillain-Barr syndrome is rare. Usuall y Guillain-Barr occurs a few days or weeks after the patient has had symptoms of a respiratory or gastro intestinal viral infection. Occasionally, surgery will trigger the syndrome. In rare instances, vaccination s may increase the risk of GBS. The disorder can develop over the course of hours or days, or it may take up to 3 to 4 weeks. No one yet knows why Guillain-Barr strikes some people and not others or what sets the disease in motion. What scientists do know is that the body's immune system begins to attack the body itself, causing what is known as an autoimmune disease. Guillain-Barr is called a syndrome rather than a disease because it is not clear that a specific disease-causing agent is involved. Reflexes such as knee jerks are usually lost. Because the signals traveling along the nerve are slower, a nerve conduction velocity (NCV) test can give a do ctor clues to aid the diagnosis. The cerebrospinal fluid that bathes the spinal cord and brain contains more prot ein than usual, so a physician may decide to perform a spinal tap. What Causes It? No one knows yet what causes GBS or why it affects some people and not others. G BS is called a syndrome because, like irritable bowel syndrome or other syndrome s, doctors diagnose it based on a collection of symptoms. Although no one knows what causes GBS, scientists do have some theories about th e syndrome and why it surfaces in the body. For example, doctors report that mor e than half of all GBS cases seem to occur after a viral or bacterial infection like a sore throat or diarrhea. Occasionally, minor surgery or something else mi ght trigger the GBS symptoms. There's no reason to worry that a typical sore throat or a minor surgery is goin g to trigger an autoimmune response and lead to GBS, though. Colds, sore throats , and the occasional bout of diarrhea are fairly predictable parts of everyone's lives; getting GBS, thankfully, is not.