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Intro to Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS)

What is Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS)?

Guillain-Barré (Ghee-yan Bah-ray) Syndrome is an inflammatory disorder of the peripheral nerves outside the brain and spinal cord.

It’s also called:

  • Acute Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy
  • Landry’s Ascending Paralysis

GBS is characterised by the rapid onset of numbness, weakness, and often paralysis of the legs, arms, breathing muscles, and face. Paralysis is ascending, meaning that it travels up the limbs from fingers and toes towards the torso. Loss of reflexes, such as the knee jerk, are usually found.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • GBS occurs when your immune system mistakenly attacks your healthy peripheral nerves, damaging their protective myelin sheath.
  • This damage disrupts nerve signals to the brain, leading to weakness, numbness, and paralysis.
  • The exact cause is unknown, but it often follows a viral or bacterial infection (like Campylobacter, flu, COVID-19, Zika) due to “molecular mimicry” where infection-fighting antibodies attack nerve cells.
  • Rarely, surgery or vaccinations can trigger it.

Anyone can get it, but it’s more common in adults over 50, and slightly more in men.

  • Early: Tingling and weakness, often starting in both legs and spreading upwards.
  • Progression: Can rapidly worsen over days to weeks, affecting arms, face, and breathing muscles.
  • Severe: Paralysis, difficulty breathing, swallowing, speaking, and autonomic issues (blood pressure, heart rate).

No, GBS is not contagious.

Doctors use physical exams – nerve conduction tests (electromyography – EMG), and a lumbar puncture (spinal tap) to analyse spinal fluid.

  • Treatment: Hospitalisation is needed; treatments like IV immunoglobulin or plasmapheresis help.
  • Recovery: Most start improving in 2-4 weeks, but full recovery takes months to years, requiring physical therapy.
  • Prognosis: Most recover, but many experience some level of residual effect including but not limited to: weakness, numbness, or fatigue.

Always seek advice from a qualified medical professional before making decisions about your health or treatment.

Contact us

info@gbs-cidp.co.za

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