Guillain-Barre Syndrome is a rare disorder in which your body's immune system attacks your nerves. It often begins with tingling and weakness that starts in your feet and legs and spreads to your upper body and arms. In about 10 percent of people with the disorder, symptoms begin in the arms or face. As it progresses muscle weakness can evolve into paralysis.
Signs and symptoms may include: Prickling, "pins & needles" sensations in your fingers, toes, ankles or wrists Weakness in your legs that spreads to your upper body Unsteady gait or an inability to walk or climb stairs Difficulty with eye or facial movements, including speaking, chewing or swallowing Severe pain that may feel achy or cramp-like and may be worse at night Difficulty with bladder control or bowel function Rapid heart rate Low or high blood pressure Difficulty breathing (a potentially fatal complication) Guillain-Barre Syndrome is a medical emergency & Most people with the condition must be hospitalized for treatment. Although there's no known cure, the sooner treatment is started, the better the chance for recovery. The most significant weakness begins within two to four weeks after symptoms start & recovery usually begins two to four weeks after the weakness plateaus.

Although the exact cause is unknown, it often precedes an infectious illness such as a respiratory infection or the stomach flu. The disorder usually appears within days or weeks after a respiratory or digestive tract infection. Rarely, recent surgery or immunization can trigger Guillain-Barre Syndrome.

Once thought to be a single disorder, Guillain-Barre Syndrome is now known to occur in several forms. The main types are:
Acute inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (AIDP), the most common form in the U.S. The most common sign of AIDP is muscle weakness that starts in the lower part of your body and spreads upward. Miller Fisher syndrome (MFS), in which paralysis starts in the eyes. MFS is also associated with unsteady gait. MFS occurs in about 5 percent of people with Guillain-Barre Syndrome in the U.S. but is more common in Asia. Acute motor axonal neuropathy (AMAN) & Acute motor-sensory axonal neuropathy (AMSAN), which are less common in the U.S. but occur more frequently in China, Japan and Mexico.

In Guillain-Barre Syndrome, your immune system, which usually attacks only invading organisms, begins attacking the nerves.
In AIDP, the most common form of Guillain-Barre Syndrome in the U.S., the nerves protective covering (the myelin sheath) is damaged. The damage prevents the nerves from transmitting signals to your brain, causing weakness, numbness or paralysis.

Guillain-Barre Syndrome can affect all age groups. But you're at slightly greater risk if: You're a man You're an older adult

Guillain-Barre Syndrome may be triggered by: infection with campylobacter, a type of bacteria often found in under cooked poultry Influenza virus Epstein-Barr virus HIV, the virus that causes AIDS Mycoplasma pneumonia Surgery Hodgkin's lymphoma Rarely, influenza vaccinations or childhood vaccinations
Complications:
Guillain-Barre Syndrome affects your nerves. Because nerves control your movements and body functions, people may experience:

Breathing difficulties: The weakness or paralysis can spread to the muscles that control your breathing, Up to 30 percent of people need temporary help from a machine to breathe when they're hospitalized for treatment. Residual numbness or other sensations: Most people recover completely or have only minor, residual weakness, numbness or tingling. Heart and blood pressure problems: Blood pressure fluctuations and cardiac arrhythmia's are common side effects. Pain: Up to half of people experience severe nerve pain, which may be eased with medication. Bowel and bladder function problems: Sluggish bowel function and urine retention may result. Blood clots: People who are immobile are at risk of developing blood clots. Until you're able to walk independently, taking blood thinners and wearing support stockings may be recommended. Pressure sores: Being immobile also puts you at risk of developing pressure sores. Frequent re-positioning may help avoid this problem. Relapse: Up to 5 percent of people experience a relapse.