The Guillain-Barre Syndrome0

Guillain-Barre syndrome or simply GBS is one of the rarest kinds of nervous system disorders. Out of 100,000 individuals only an estimated 1-2 persons catch the disease.

GBS is to some extent similar to paralysis. It causes weakening of the muscles and occasional numbness of mouth, lips and other parts of the body (especially the upper body.)

Even up to this day of state-of-the-art medical technology, the root cause of GBS is yet to be discovered although it is regarded that the disease is autoimmune, meaning it arises from a hyperactive immune response of the body against its own cells. This acute response of the immune system is usually a result of some other gastrointestinal infections.

In addition, there are numerous life-threatening infections which are link to GBS such as the Human Hespervirus 4 (HHV-4) — a cancer causing virus and the Human Hespervirus 5 (HHV-5) which causes salivary infections.

Medical research also showed possible link between GBS and the 1976 swine flu vaccine. It was further reported that around 500 cases of GBS were directly related to complications due to immunopathological response from the said vaccine.

Although considered as deadly and lethal once developed, GBS can be treated through early diagnosis and medications. In diagnosis a couple factors should be given consideration such as medical history of the patient specifically recent history of gastrointestinal infections, symptoms that intertwine with GBS like numbness, loss of reflex, occasional back pains and inability in moving muscles around mouth and eyes resulting to difficulty in chewing, swallowing and speaking.

To date there are six forms of GBS known:

Acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (AIDP) is considered as the most common subtype of GBS.

Chinese paralytic syndrome is a variant of GBS that causes sensory loss. However, some reports claim that this form of GBS is really a form of polio evidence of which were cases of mass vaccination in northern China during 1971 that shows a relation between polio and Chinese paralytic syndrome.

Miller Fisher syndrome (MSF) is a nerve disease characterized by lack of muscle coordination and failure of some respiratory functions.

Bickerstaff’s brainstem encephalitis (BBE) a GBS form that causes drowsiness and dizziness to the patient.

Acute motor sensory axonal neuropathy (AMSAN) somehow this form of GBS is similar to Chinese paralytic syndrome. It causes sensory loss and severe damages on sensory nerves.

Acute panautonomic neuropathy is considered as the rarest form of GBS. It can cause serious impairments with regard to nausea, dyshpagia, headache and photophobia.