Guillain-barre Syndrome Health Video

Guillain-Barre syndrome is an uncommon inflammatory disorder in which your body's immune system attacks your nerves, typically causing severe weakness and numbness that starts in your extremities and quickly worsens. Learn about the different causes of, symptoms of, and treatments for Guillain-Barre syndrome in this medical video.

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Consult a doctor if you have weakness or paralysis
Consult a doctor if you have numbness & tingling in the arms & legs
Consult a doctor if you have difficulty breathing

About this Author

Dr. Susan McGladdery is a medical graduate from Oxford University in the UK and has a Master's Degree in Medical Sciences from Cambridge University. She has been a member of the Royal College of Physicians since 1991 and a member of the American Academy of Urgent Care since 2006. She trained as a Family Physician in the UK in Oxford and then in London. In a medical career that spans over 20 years, she has worked as a doctor in 5 countries on 3 continents and cared for patients from a multitude of different nationalities and backgrounds. Dr. McGladdery joined FirstMed Centers in mid 2002 and became Regional Medical Director in 2003.

SUSAN MCGLADERRY, BM, BCH, MRCP: Hello. My name is Dr. Sue McGladerry. I'm the medical director from FirstMed Centers in Budapest, Hungary, and I'd like to give you a little bit of information about Guillain-Barre syndrome. This is rare medical condition affecting one or two people out of a hundred thousand. It's a disease of the nerves outside the brain and spinal cord. It can be very frightening because it often causes some kind of paralysis. People of any age can get it and the risk increases with age. What is the cause of Guillain-Barre syndrome? It's an autoimmune disorder, meaning a problem where our immune system mistakes some of our own body cells for a foreign invader and then attacks these normal cells. The reason for this is not known. Guillain-Barre syndrome may occur after viral or a bacterial infection, for example a sore throat or diarrhea. Occasionally even minor surgery may trigger the Guillain-Barre symptoms. What are the symptoms? These include weakness or paralysis, numbness and tingling in the arms, in the legs. It may get serious if the chest muscles or the diaphragm are affected. Breathing may become very difficult and the person will need to be on a respirator. If you're diagnosed with this syndrome, you will need to be hospitalized so doctors and nurses can monitor your progress. It may develop in an unpredictable way so it's much safer to be in hospital already. The treatment in the hospital includes things like plasmapheresis, immunoglobulin therapy, and perhaps treatment with a respirator. Good supportive and nursing care is also very important. The good news is that the paralysis of Guillain-Barre syndrome is usually only temporary. Most of the people who get this syndrome will in fact recovery fully even when they have it in a severe form and they will be able to get back to the normal lives and activities. Many will need physical therapy to help them to do so and most importantly it takes time. Some people can continue to feel weakness for as long as three years after the acute episode.

Guillain-Barre Syndrome Health Video

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