Learn About Guillain-Barre Syndrome
Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is a serious health problem that occurs when the body's defense (immune) system mistakenly attacks part of the peripheral nervous system. This leads to nerve inflammation that causes muscle weakness or paralysis and other symptoms.
GBS; Landry-Guillain-Barrésyndrome; Acute idiopathic polyneuritis; Infectious polyneuritis; Acute inflammatory polyneuropathy; Acute inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy; Ascending paralysis; Guillain-Barré syndrome
The exact cause of GBS is unknown. It is thought that GBS is an autoimmune disorder. With an autoimmune disorder, the body's immune system attacks itself by mistake. The incidence of GBS increases with aging, but can occur at any age. People older than 50 years are at the greatest risk.
GBS may occur following infections from viruses or bacteria, such as:
- Influenza
- Some gastrointestinal illnesses, especially Campylobacter jejunii infection
- Mycoplasma pneumonia
- HIV, the virus that causes HIV/AIDS (very rare)
- Herpes simplex
- Mononucleosis
- COVID-19
- Zika virus
GBS may also occur with other medical conditions, such as:
- Systemic lupus erythematosus
- Hodgkin disease
- After surgery
GBS damages parts of nerves. This nerve damage causes tingling, muscle weakness, loss of balance, and paralysis. GBS most often affects the nerve covering (myelin sheath). This damage is called demyelination. It causes nerve signals to move more slowly. Damage to other parts of the nerve can cause the nerve to stop working.
Symptoms of GBS can get worse quickly. It may take only a few hours for the most severe symptoms to appear. But weakness that increases over several days is also common.
Muscle weakness or loss of muscle function (paralysis) affects both sides of the body. In most cases, the muscle weakness starts in the legs and spreads to the arms. This is called ascending paralysis.
If the inflammation affects the nerves of the chest and diaphragm (the large muscle under your lungs that helps you breathe) and those muscles are weak, you may need breathing assistance.
Other typical signs and symptoms of GBS include:
- Loss of tendon reflexes in the arms and legs
- Tingling or numbness (mild loss of sensation)
- Muscle tenderness or pain (may be a cramp-like pain)
- Uncoordinated movement (cannot walk without help)
- Low blood pressure or poor blood pressure control
- Abnormal heart rate
Other symptoms may include:
- Blurred vision and double vision
- Clumsiness and falling
- Difficulty moving face muscles
- Feeling your heart beat (palpitations)
Emergency symptoms (seek medical help right away):
- Cannot take a deep breath
- Difficulty breathing
- Difficulty swallowing or choking on food or liquids
- Drooling
- Fainting
- Feeling light headed when standing
While there is no cure for GBS, most people will notice improvement within days to weeks. Treatment is aimed at reducing symptoms, treating complications, and speeding up recovery.
In the early stages of the illness, a treatment called apheresis or plasmapheresis may be given. It involves removing the proteins, called antibodies, which attack the nerve cells. Another treatment is intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg). Both treatments lead to faster improvement, and both are equally effective. But there is no advantage to using both treatments at the same time. Other treatments help reduce inflammation.
When symptoms are severe, treatment in the hospital will be needed. Breathing support will likely be given.
Other treatments in the hospital focus on preventing complications. These may include:
- Blood thinners to prevent blood clots
- Breathing support or a breathing tube and ventilator, if the diaphragm is weak
- Pain medicines or other medicines to treat pain
- Proper body positioning or a feeding tube to prevent choking during feeding, if the muscles used for swallowing are weak
- Physical therapy to help keep joints and muscles healthy
New Jersey Pediatric Neuroscience Institute
Nizar Souayah is a Neurologist in Hackensack, New Jersey. Dr. Souayah is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Guillain-Barre Syndrome. His top areas of expertise are Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy, Guillain-Barre Syndrome, Myasthenia Gravis, and Chronic Polyradiculoneuritis. Dr. Souayah is currently accepting new patients.
UPMC Neurological Institute - Magee
James Sejvar, MD, specializes in neurology and is board certified in neurology by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. He practices at University of Pittsburgh Physicians, Department of Neurology and is affiliated with UPMC East and UPMC McKeesport. Dr. Sejvar completed his fellowship at Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, residency at Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education, and medical education at Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth. Dr. Sejvar is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Guillain-Barre Syndrome. His top areas of expertise are Guillain-Barre Syndrome, Acute Flaccid Myelitis (AFM), Encephalitis, and Zika Virus Disease.
Susumu Kusunoki practices in Osaka, Japan. Mr. Kusunoki is rated as an Elite expert by MediFind in the treatment of Guillain-Barre Syndrome. His top areas of expertise are Guillain-Barre Syndrome, Miller-Fisher Syndrome, Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 8, and Multifocal Motor Neuropathy.
These resources may provide more information about GBS:
- GBS/CIDP Foundation International -- www.gbs-cidp.org
- National Organization for Rare Disorders -- rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/guillain-barre-syndrome
Recovery can take weeks, months, or years. Most people survive and recover completely. In some people, mild weakness may persist. The outcome is likely to be good when the symptoms go away soon after they first started.
Possible complications of GBS include:
- Breathing difficulty (respiratory failure)
- Shortening of tissues in the joints (contractures) or other deformities
- Blood clots (deep vein thrombosis) that form when the person with GBS is inactive or has to stay in bed
- Increased risk of infections
- Low or unstable blood pressure
- Paralysis that is permanent
- Pneumonia
- Skin damage (ulcers)
- Breathing food or fluids into the lungs (aspiration)
Seek medical help right away if you have any of these symptoms:
- Trouble taking a deep breath
- Decreased feeling (sensation)
- Difficulty breathing
- Difficulty swallowing
- Fainting
- Loss of strength in the legs that gets worse over time
Summary: Neuromuscular ultrasound (NMUS) is emerging as a valuable non-invasive diagnostic tool. In GBS, NMUS can detect proximal nerve enlargement early, before neurophysiological changes. Persistent nerve enlargement can be observed up to 15 years, though its correlation with disability varies. Research is needed to clarify NMUS findings in GBS and CIDP over time. Early detection of nerve root enlargemen...
Summary: The goal of this qualitative observational study is to explore the lived experience and psychological aftermath of children who were affected by Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) two to five years earlier. GBS is a rare and acute neurological condition, and while motor recovery is generally good in children, residual symptoms such as fatigue, pain, anxiety, or depression may persist and impact quality...
Published Date: April 16, 2025
Published By: Joseph V. Campellone, MD, Department of Neurology, Cooper Medical School at Rowan University, Camden, NJ. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
Bragazzi NL, Kolahi AA, Nejadghaderi SA, et al. Global, regional, and national burden of Guillain-Barré syndrome and its underlying causes from 1990 to 2019. J Neuroinflammation. 2021;18(264). PMID: 34763713 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34763713/.
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Katirji B. Disorders of peripheral nerves. In: Jankovic J, Mazziotta JC, Pomeroy SL, Newman NJ, eds. Bradley and Daroff's Neurology in Clinical Practice. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 106.
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