Brain & Nervous System More Neurological Diseases Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) Overview By Kristina Duda, RN facebook twitter linkedin Kristina Duda, BSN, RN, CPN, has been working in healthcare since 2002. She specializes in pediatrics and disease and infection prevention. Learn about our editorial process Kristina Duda, RN Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Shaheen Lakhan, MD, PhD on November 18, 2019 linkedin Shaheen Lakhan, MD, PhD, is an award-winning, board-certified physician-scientist and clinical development specialist. Learn about our Medical Review Board Shaheen Lakhan, MD, PhD on November 18, 2019 Print Table of Contents View All Table of Contents Causes Symptoms Diagnosis Treatment Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) is an autoimmune disorder in which peripheral nerves are damaged and cannot transmit signals efficiently. The disease typically progresses from the legs up the body to the trunk and may even affect the respiratory system, causing almost complete paralysis. In GBS, the myelin sheath protecting the nerves are damaged, so signals traveling along the nerves are not transmitted properly. Because nerves cannot transmit signals to muscles, muscles will not function properly, thus causing paralysis. Hero Images / Getty Images Causes No one knows exactly what causes GBS or why some people get it and others do not. Most people who get GBS do so after having a bacterial or viral infection. In some cases, it has been connected to certain immunizations, such as the flu vaccine, and can even occur spontaneously. Symptoms Because Guillain-Barre is a syndrome and not a disease, it can be very difficult to diagnose. The symptoms are not always the same in every person, but typically reflexes will be lost and the paralysis or loss of feeling will occur on both sides of the body rather than just one side or the other. The symptoms of Guillain-Barre also progress quickly, in hours, days or weeks, rather than months like some similar disorders. Diagnosis If a doctor suspects GBS, he or she will typically perform a spinal tap to make the diagnosis. Most people have reached the peak of the disorder, meaning the greatest amount of paralysis, in about two or three weeks. Recovery can then take anywhere from a few weeks to months or even years. Electromyography (EMG), conduction studies (NCS), and/or neuroimaging are also used to rule out other lesions. Treatment There is no cure for GBS, although it usually reverses on its own. It is fatal in a very small percentage of people who develop it. Both immunoglobulin therapy and plasma exchange are used as treatments. Because of the severity of the symptoms and the complexity of the therapies, patients with Guillain-Barre are usually kept in the hospital in intensive care units. Depending on the symptoms, patients may need to be put on ventilators to assist with breathing and physical therapy may be used so muscle function does not deteriorate. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Guillain- Barre Syndrome (GBS) Among Persons Who Received Meningococcal Conjugate Vaccine. Science Coordination and Innovation. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 8 Jan 2007.