Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) is a serious neurological disorder that affects the peripheral nervous system. GBS is an autoimmune disease that leads to muscle weakness and in many cases temporary paralysis that can last from months to years.
GBS is one of those rare diseases that experts really don’t know why it occurs in some people. It doesn’t appear to have a genetic link or be contagious through bodily fluids.
Symptoms of GBS often first appear days or weeks after a respiratory infection or food poisoning, and even in some cases after getting vaccinated.
How GBS Affects the Body
GBS is a rare autoimmune disease that affects the myelin sheaths that coat the axons of peripheral nervous system. GBS cuts off the communication from the brain and spinal cord to the body. Making it impossible to transmit signals of information needed to respond back to the body causing muscle tingling, numbness and weakness.
The peripheral nervous system consists of all the network of nerve cells contained in the body outside of the spinal column and brain. These nerve pathways travel to every organ and muscle throughout our body.
The myelin sheaths surround the axons of these nerves and aid in the sending of messages to and from each other.
The GBS condition attacks both the myelin sheaths and the axons and prevents them from delivering messages.
Symptoms
Symptoms of GBS often begin within a window of 3 weeks from an infection. Symptoms typically start with tingling or weakness in the extremities of the body; the hands and feet. It can also begin as pain in the legs or back.
In most cases the pain or weakness starts in the legs and travels up in time to the upper body. But, for some it remains in the legs.
For those who experience weakness spreading to the upper body may also develop:
Paralysis of the whole body
Muscles weakness in the arms
Both sides of the body becoming weak
Difficulty breathing
Symptoms can worsen from hours to days or even weeks. They typically worsen by the third week and plateau after a month.
Other problems can be experienced along with the weakness and tingling such as:
Bladder control
Digestive issues
Muscle pain at night
Vision difficulties due to eye weakness
Speaking, chewing and swallowing difficulty
Coordination problems
Heart and blood pressure problems
After a 4 week period of time, symptoms usually peak and will remain stable and gradually the nerve damage will heal over time.
GBS can result in emotional and psychological affects that will need to be addressed by a mental health professional.
GBS symptoms can sometimes be life threatening when they affect the breathing and cardiovascular system due to paralysis.
Please seek immediate medical attention if this is the case.
Types of GBS
GBS can affect 1 in 100,000 people in the US every year. The most common type of GBS which starts in the lower body and gradually moves upward affecting other areas is called, acute inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy. The periods of weakness can recur over several years.
Miller Fisher syndrome is a variant of GBS and is an acquired nerve disease that affects approximately 5-10% of the GBS cases in the US. This type of GBS affects tendons, reflexes and eye muscles and can lead to difficulties with balance and walking.
Acute Motor Axonal Neuropathy is a more rare type of GBS which involves nerves in the head, that begin with tingling and numbness and can bring about a sudden change in breathing and weakness in the limbs.
Causes of GBS
The causes of GBS is unknown, but the symptoms often occur after an infection and in some cases after becoming vaccinated.
The prevailing theory is that after a bacterial or viral infection, the immune system can get altered and confused. Changing how it reacts to the peripheral nervous system, resulting in improperly identifying the myelin sheaths and nerve axons and attacking them.
GBS can affect anyone at any age. But, people over 50 years old seem to be at higher risk.
This is a list of common infections that people have had before developing GBS.
Epstein-Barr virus, which cause mononucleosis
Mycoplasma pneumoniae bacteria, a respiratory condition
Campylobacter jejuni bacteria, leading to bowel infection and diarrhea
Cytomegalovirus
Zika virus
GBS Outcomes
Nerve damage caused by GBS typically worsens for 2-3 weeks, but after week 4, symptoms generally cease to worsen. The people who experience paralysis from GBS, most will recover in 6-12 months.
In the more severe GBS cases, which include cardiovascular and breathing problems, most will recover. But, have a 1 in 20 case fatality rate.
Symptom and recovery information for GBS according to the National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke:
Overall recovery can take place within weeks to up to two years
Muscle weakness peaks at about 4 weeks
Range of symptoms can last from weeks to months to years.
30% of people still experience weakness after 3 years
70% of people fully recover
3% of people experience a relapse of weakness or tinging after several years
15% of people are affected long-term, experiencing muscle weakness that requires assistance from a walker.
5% of GBS cases are fatal
If you or anyone you know is experiencing any signs of muscle weakness, tingling sensations especially after an infection or being vaccinated please contact a doctor or medical professional immediately to get a complete diagnosis to determine the cause.
. GBS and Vaccines
There seems to be a link, however small, between GBS and vaccines. In 1976, during an outbreak of the swine flu, those who were vaccinated had a small increase of developing GBS of 1 case per 100,000.
Medical experts have looked into the possible relationship of developing GBS and vaccines with mixed results. The CDC showed an increase of 1-2 GBS cases per million doses of vaccines.
The cases of GBS from vaccines are rare but do exist.
The FDA in July of 2021, announced there may be an increased risk of developing GBS in the first 42 days of receiving a Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) COVID-19 vaccine.
Approximately 12.5 million doses of the COVID-19 J&J vaccine have been administered under emergency use authorized by the FDA, as of July 12th with only 100 or so cases of GBS reported.
Guillain-Barre syndrome is a rare and sometimes fatal autoimmune disease that attacks the myelin sheaths and axons of nerves in the peripheral nervous system. In some cases can lead to paralysis. This misunderstood condition appears to develop several days to weeks after getting an infection. More research is currently needed to determine what the actual causes of GBS are so to come up with better treatment and management care options for this rare and misunderstood disease.
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