Guillian-Barré Syndrome, Essay Example

Guillian-Barré Syndrome is a disorder in which the immune system attacks the peripheral nervous system. It can affect anyone and no one knows why it happens. There does seem to be some relationship to people having a virus, such as a cold or the stomach flu. A few cases may be triggered by surgery, vaccines, or pregnancy, all of which can alter the immune the system as well. It is a rare disorder; only one or two people per 100,000 will get it.

The symptoms of Guillian-Barré include a very sudden onset of weakness and/or tingling in the legs. This may spread to the arms and hands. This may be the extent of the disease, or it may get worse, so that it includes near paralysis. It may affect the lungs ability to work, as well as the heart rate and blood pressure. In such cases, hospitalization would be required so that the patient could receive supportive care, such as breathing assistance and medication to control pain. The initial symptoms can also indicate a lot of other problems, so a doctor must diagnose the syndrome. Factors in making the diagnosis include symptoms that appear quickly and are bilateral (as opposed to one-sided weakness, which might indicate a stroke), the loss of reflexes, and changes in the spinal fluid, which can be determined by a spinal tap. Tests for nerve conductivity might also be used to diagnose the disorder.

There is no cure for Guillian-Barré Syndrome. Most people get well if they get supportive treatment, but many will have weakness forever. Treatments that seem to help in some cases are plasmapheresis, which lowers the level of antibodies and injections of immunoglobulin, which also lessens the immune system’s power in attacking the nervous system.

I am interested in this disorder because no one understands what causes it. Also, I once had a neighbor who had it and was totally paralyzed for almost two weeks. She had to be on a breathing machine and couldn’t even blink her eyes. I was a little kid then, so it was scary to hear about it, especially since no one knew what caused it so there was no way to avoid it.