Guillain-Barré syndrome or GBS is a rare and serious disorder. It is an autoimmune disease that is associated with acute neurological and muscular failure.
What is Guillain-Barré syndrome?
Guillain-Barré syndrome, correctly pronounced Guillain-Barré syndrome, is a rare but serious neurological disorder. In this disease, the immune system mistakenly attacks the peripheral nervous system (the part of the nervous system that connects the brain and spinal cord to other parts of the body) and damages the myelin sheaths that surround the axons. Guillain-Barré syndrome bacteria mostly affect the legs, hands, and other organs, causing weakness, pain, and numbness. The degree of involvement of different people is different, so that sometimes one patient experiences only mild pain and weakness and others are paralyzed. The statistics about this disease are:
Guillain-Barré syndrome in adults usually occurs between the ages of 30 and 50. But Guillain-Barré’s disease is also seen in children.
Types of Guillain-Barré syndrome
Currently, researchers have discovered and identified different types of Guillain-Barré syndrome. However, an affected person may have symptoms of two or more types at the same time, which can sometimes make it difficult for a neurologist to diagnose them. The most important types of this disease are:
Acute demyelian inflammatory polyradiculonopathy (AIDP):
One of the symptoms of this type of muscle weakness is muscle weakness that starts at the bottom of the leg and is accompanied by weakness of the cerebral nerves and involvement of the autonomic system. This type is more common in Europe and North America.
Miller-Fisher syndrome:
In this type of Guillain-Barré syndrome, paralysis and numbness usually start in the eyes and are accompanied by unstable gait. This type is more common in Asia. This type is more common in men than women and occurs more in the spring.
Acute Axonal Motor Disorder (AMAN):
Severe muscle weakness is seen without anesthesia and without involvement of the cerebral nerves. This type of paralyzing syndrome is also called Chinese and is more common in Asia and Central and South America.
Acute Sensory and Motor Axonal Neuropathy (AMSAN):
Muscle weakness is seen along with numbness. This type is more common in China, Japan, and Mexico.
Pharyngeal-cervical-brachial:
This type of muscle weakness is felt in the face, neck, shoulders, and throat.
Causes and symptoms of Guillain-Barré syndrome
People who suffer from this disease always ask their doctor why they have this syndrome and what is the cause of Guillain-Barré’s disease. Researchers have not yet been able to correctly diagnose why the immune system begins to attack and damage nerves. But Guillain-Barré syndrome usually develops a few weeks after an infection of the respiratory or gastrointestinal tract. But there are risk and triggering factors for this disease, some of which we will mention below:
Statistics show that in rare cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome, the flu vaccine can be effective.
Infection with Campylobacter bacteria, which is commonly found in the meats of undercooked birds.
Cytomegalovirus
Epstein–Barr virus
Zika virus
Hepatitis A, B, C, and E
HIV virus
Mycoplasma pneumoniae
Hodgkin’s lymphoma
Some surgeries or stone trauma
What are the complications and symptoms of Guillain-Barré syndrome?
One of the first and most obvious signs and symptoms of Guillain-Barré syndrome is the needling of the legs and the presence of weakness in them. These symptoms can start in the legs and spread throughout the body. Of course, sometimes weakness and tingling also start from the arms. In acute cases, these problems gradually cause paralysis of the entire body. These symptoms can have an upward trend for 2 to 4 weeks.
But apart from the initial symptoms, Guillain-Barré syndrome has many symptoms and complications, each of which we will mention below:
Tingling of fingers, toes, ankles and feet
Weakness in the legs that stretches upwards
Inability to walk up and down stairs and balance when walking
Problems with the eye muscles and vision and the appearance of double vision or inability to move the eyes
Difficulty speaking, chewing, and swallowing due to inability to move the face
Difficulty breathing
Severe pain and cramps at night
Increased anterior heart rate and blood pressure
Inability to control your bladder and bowels
Methods of diagnosis and treatment of Guillain-Barré syndrome
Early diagnosis and starting treatment can give a person with Guillain-Barré syndrome the best chance of a faster recovery. You should see a neurologist for a clinical examination of the symptoms and diagnosis. Of course, you should know that sometimes it is difficult to diagnose this disease, especially in the early stages and despite very mild symptoms. For this reason, doctors must use different methods, tests, and tests.
Clinical examinations and symptom check-ups
Electromyography (EMG) or muscle tape that examines how well the muscles respond to nerve signals.
تست هدایت عصبی (NCS) برای بررسی سرعت و قدرت فعالیت الکتریکی یک عصب مناسب است.
Lumbar puncture, in which a little spinal fluid is taken from the spine and sent to a laboratory to detect protein levels.
What are the treatment methods for Guillain-Barré’s disease?
Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG):
It is a plasma protein replacement therapy that controls the immune system. In this method, a combination of antibodies that protect the body from infection caused by various diseases is injected into the person’s body.
Plasmapheresis:
This procedure, also known as plasma exchange, purifies the blood by removing substances that are harmful to the nerves.
Prescribing painkillers
These medications are only used to control pain and limb weakness.
Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy:
Performing occupational therapy movements under the supervision of a physiotherapist is very suitable for the hands of patients with sensory-motor disorders.