What Is Guillain-Barré Syndrome? Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention

Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is a rare nerve disorder in which your body’s immune system attacks the peripheral nervous system.

The peripheral nervous system includes the nerves that connect the brain and spinal cord to the limbs, as well as nerve coverings, called myelin, that insulate the peripheral nerves. These nerves help control muscle movement and carry signals for sensations from the body to the brain.

The first symptoms of Guillain-Barré syndrome often include feelings of tingling or weakness in the feet and legs. These feelings may spread to the arms and face.

In very severe cases, people with GBS may lose all muscle function and movement, becoming temporarily paralyzed.

• A “pins and needles” sensation in the fingers, toes, ankles, or wrists
• Muscle weakness that starts in the legs and spreads to the upper body
• Unsteady walking, including going upstairs
• Difficulty with eye or facial movements (blinking, chewing, speaking)
• Difficulty controlling the bowels or bladder
• Rapid heart rate
• Difficulty breathing
• Blood pressure that’s too high or too low
• Double vision or difficulty moving your eyes
• Severe pain that gets worse in the evening

• Acute Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyradiculoneuropathy (AIDP) The most common symptoms are muscle weakness and sensations like numbness, tingling, and pain, which may begin in your lower body and spread to your upper body. This type is most often found in North America and Europe.
• Miller Fisher Syndrome (MFS) Symptoms include an absence of reflexes, paralysis in the eyes, and an unsteady gait. This type is most common in Asia.
• Acute Motor Axonal Neuropathy (AMAN) and Acute Motor-Sensory Axonal Neuropathy (AMSAN) Symptoms may include severe pain and acute weakness in the hands and feet. These two types are most common in Japan, China, and Mexico.

If the above symptoms begin to develop, you should contact your doctor immediately or go to the emergency room for treatment.

Doctors don’t know what causes Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS).

Many people with GBS experience a respiratory or gastrointestinal infection, from a virus or bacteria, approximately six weeks before GBS symptoms start.

• Being infected with Campylobacter jejuni, a bacteria that causes diarrhea
• Certain vaccinations
• Surgery
• Bone marrow transplant

Before diagnosing Guillain-Barré syndrome, your doctor will perform a complete physical and neurological exam to rule out other illnesses that could be causing your symptoms.

Your doctor may then recommend additional tests that can help detect and measure changes in nerve function.

Spinal Tap Your doctor will insert a needle into your lower back and remove a small amount of spinal fluid for testing.

Electromyography Thin needles are inserted into certain muscles to measure nerve activity in the muscles.

Nerve Conduction You’ll receive small shocks from electrodes taped to your skin, allowing your doctor to measure nerve function.

While most people make a full recovery from GBS, it can be a long process. It may take as little as a few weeks — or as long as a few years — to recover.

There is no cure for GBS, but there are treatments that can reduce the severity of the illness and help speed up recovery.

People with GBS are typically treated in a hospital. Some require breathing assistance, a heart monitor, or other medical devices to assist with basic bodily functions while their nerves recover.

Two main types of therapies are used to treat GBS:

Plasma Exchange (Plasmapheresis) In this procedure, blood is removed from the body and processed so that the blood cells are separated from the liquid portion of blood. The blood cells are then returned to the body. Plasma exchange appears to reduce the severity and duration of symptoms in some people with GBS.

Prevention of Guillain-Barré Syndrome

In very severe cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome, muscle weakness may impair your ability to breathe. Some people with GBS need a breathing tube and machine to help them breathe.

• Minor weakness, numbness, or tingling
• Recurring nerve pain
• Sluggish bowels, or the inability to completely empty the bladder
• Blood pressure fluctuations
• Irregular heart rhythm
• Blood clots
• Pressure sores

Guillain-Barré syndrome is rare.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that about 1 out of every 100,000 people develop GBS each year in the United States — approximately 3,000 to 6,000 people.

• Influenza virus
• Epstein-Barr virus
• Cytomegalovirus
• Zika virus
• Hepatitis A, B, C, and E
• HIV
• Mycoplasma pneumonia
• Campylobacter infection
• Hodgkin’s lymphoma
• COVID-19 infection

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

Part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, NINDS conducts and funds research on brain and nervous system disorders. On their website, you can find information about the latest research and treatment options for a number of disorders, including Guillain-Barré.

Mayo Clinic

In addition to providing clear, concise information on the symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of Guillain-Barré, the Mayo Clinic also offers advice on how best to prepare for an appointment with your doctor if you’re experiencing symptoms of this condition.

Additional reporting by Lindsey Konkel.