Guillian-Barre Syndrome: What is it?

There are many disorders that are seen in physical therapy labs/wellness labs but Guillian-Barre syndrome is particularly aggressive. Guillian-Barre syndrome causes the body’s own immune system to attack part of the peripheral nervous system. No one yet knows why Guillain-Barre, which is not contagious, strikes some people and not others, nor does anyone know exactly what sets the disease in motion. 1 All that scientists know at this point is that the disorder causes the body to attack itself which is known as an autoimmune disease. What typically happens to the body when GBS sets in is that the immune system starts to destroy the myelin sheath that surrounds the axons of several different nerve endings. Axons are long, thin extensions of the nerve cells; they carry nerve signals. 1 Whenever the nerve endings are destroyed it causes the nerves to not be able to transmit nerve signals efficiently to wherever those signals are intended to go. When this happens it causes the muscles to begin to lose their ability to respond to those signals, resulting in an inability to feel textures, heat, pain, and other sensations.

Symptoms

·         Prickling sensations, in extremities.

·         Tingling sensations.

·         Abnormal sensations.

·         Unbalanced walking, or standing.

·         Difficulty breathing.

·         Accelerated heart rate.

Individuals with Guillain-Barre syndrome usually experience their most significant weakness within two to four weeks after symptoms begin. 2 The symptoms listed above can increase in intensity until the affected muscles can barely be used at all, and can even become severe enough that the patient can become almost completely paralyzed. When the disorder becomes this aggressive it can become life threatening, mainly due to blood pressure and heart rate being affected to the point that it becomes a medical emergency that must be dealt with immediately.

Treatment

In most cases of GBS immediate hospitalization is a must. Once the individual has overcome the severe aspects of Guillian-Barre and has partially recovered, they can be granted permission from their physician for exercise therapy. Exercise therapy can be very beneficial to anyone with GBS. Once exercise therapy has begun it is extremely important to be mindful of their condition, and to progress gradually. You cannot let the individual over-exert themselves when in rehabilitation; if this occurs it can easily slow their recovery entirely. With the nerve endings having suffered damage due to GBS it can often times be painful initially to the recovering patient. That’s why it must be stressed to the patient to take it slow once rehabilitation begins. This disorder, even though it is very severe and painful, can be rehabilitated over time with exercise, as most things can.

References

1Guillain-Barré Syndrome Fact Sheet. (2011, July). Retrieved September 27, 2016, from http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/gbs/detail_gbs.htm

2Staff, B. M. (2016, January 1). Guillain-Barre syndrome. Retrieved September 27, 2016, from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/guillain-barre-syndrome/basics/symptoms/con-20025832

3Berman, M. (2012, August 21). "San Francisco" Singer Scott McKenzie Dies of Guillain-Barré Syndrome - Celebrity Diagnosis. Retrieved September 27, 2016, from http://www.celebritydiagnosis.com/2012/08/san-francisco-singer-scott-mckenzie-dies-of-guillain-barre-syndrome/