Guillain Barre disease symptoms include tingling, weakness and other signs of a neurological problem that affects the nerves outside your brain and spinal cord. This condition can be mild or severe, depending on how it starts and what parts of your body are affected.
Symptoms usually begin in the feet and legs, but may progress to the arms and face. Those with GBS also often experience problems breathing due to the weakness in their chest muscles.
Your doctor can diagnose Guillain Barre syndrome by asking you questions and conducting a physical exam. He or she will likely use a diagnostic tool called electromyography to examine the way your nerves respond to electrical signals. The doctor will insert small, thin needle electrodes into your limbs and other muscles.
This test measures the speed at which your nervous system sends messages to your body’s muscles and other organs. During Guillain Barre, the transmission of signals is more slowly than normal. This is because your immune system has mistaken the normal antigen on your body’s microorganism for a different antigen.
Diagnosis of GBS is made after a thorough physical examination and tests that detect the immune system’s attack on your nerves. Typical tests include a blood test, which checks your levels of antibodies; an electromyography; and a lumbar puncture, which involves a doctor draining a sample of fluid from your spine to check for abnormal antibodies.
Plasmapheresis and high-dose immunoglobulin therapy (IVIG) are two treatment options that have proven effective for relieving muscle weakness in patients with Guillain Barre. These treatments weaken the immune system’s attack on your body’s nervous system and help to speed recovery.
Your health care team will monitor you closely while you recover from Guillain Barre. Most people with this disorder recover fully, although it can take months or years to regain pre-illness strength and movement.
You’ll need to be hospitalized for treatment and a period of rehabilitation afterward. Your doctor will also monitor your lungs, heart and other important functions to make sure they’re functioning properly.
During your recovery, you’ll need to keep up your exercise routine and take medicine to control pain and inflammation. Your doctor will also recommend medication to help your bowel and bladder function. Taking these medications can ease pain, decrease nausea and reduce blood pressure.
In rare cases, your doctor may suggest blood thinners until you can walk independently. These medications can help prevent blood clots from developing in your veins, which can cause serious complications.
Other common symptoms of Guillain Barre disease are numbness, tingling and difficulty in moving. Those with this condition are also at risk of developing a blood clot and bed sores, which can develop when you are immobile.
Most people with Guillain Barre disease recover completely, but a few people have residual weaknesses and tingling after the illness ends. These symptoms are known as relapses, and the symptoms can be difficult to overcome.
Relapses of GBS can be painful, and you may have trouble sleeping because your body is too fatigued to get a good night’s rest. You can also have sluggish bowel and bladder function, which can lead to frequent toilet trips or a swollen bladder.
