Health Care > Could this be peripheral nervous system damage?Related Photo
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Related Diseases
A friend got Guillian-Barré syndrome and recovered. It's been 8 months
now and the leg weakness came back and is not able walk unassisted.
An Electromyography came back abnormal.
Introduction
Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) is an inflammatory disorder in which your body's immune system attacks the nerves outside the brain and spinal cord (peripheral nerves) and, rarely, parts of the brain itself. Severe weakness and numbness in your legs and arms characterize GBS. Loss of feeling and movement (paralysis) may occur in your legs, arms, upper body and face.
GBS affects an estimated one to three in every 100,000 persons annually in the United States. It can strike any race at any age, but its incidence increases with age. GBS may occur within days or weeks after a viral infection such as influenza (flu) or diarrhea. It may be triggered by pregnancy or a medical procedure, such as a vaccination or minor surgery, or have no evident reason for developing. Because the cause of GBS is unknown, there's no way to prevent the disease from occurring.
In its most severe form, GBS is a medical emergency and may require hospitalization. Severe GBS may result in total paralysis, potentially dangerous fluctuations in heart rate and blood pressure, and inability to breathe without respiratory assistance. The muscles you use for eye movement, speaking, chewing and swallowing also may become weak or paralyzed. People with severe GBS often need long-term rehabilitation to regain normal independence, and as many as 15 percent experience lasting physical impairment. In some cases, GBS can be fatal.
Most people recover from even the most severe cases of GBS. Available treatments, if started soon after signs and symptoms appear, may lessen the severity of GBS and reduce recovery time.
If electromyography is abnormal than the muscles are not responding to nerve stimuli, hence the conclusion that can be drawn is as follows:
The long-term outlook for most people with GBS is good. About 75 percent to 85 percent of those affected recover completely or have only minor, residual weakness or abnormal sensations such as numbness or tingling.
Up to 15 percent of people with GBS experience more serious, permanent problems with sensation and coordination, including some cases of severe disability. About one in ten of those affected is at risk of experiencing a relapse.
GBS may cause severe damage to your muscles and nervous system, weakening your heart and lungs. About one-third of people with GBS require assisted ventilation while they are ill. Up to one in 12 people with GBS die of related complications such as respiratory failure, pulmonary embolism and cardiac arrest. Older adults with other medical problems are at greatest risk of death from GBS.
