Knowledge of Guillain-Barre Syndrome

Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) is a rare disease, characterized by a weak state of the body loses sensitivity can usually complete recovery within weeks, months or years. GBS takes its name from two French scientists, Guillain and Barré, who found the two soldiers in the year 1916 wars who suffered paralysis and recovered after receiving medical treatment. This disease affects 25 per 1 million populations each year. Can be contracted at all age levels ranging from children to adults, is rarely found in the elderly. More often found in men. Not a hereditary disease, it cannot be transmitted through birth, not contracted from someone else who developed GBS. However, could arise a week to two weeks after intestinal or throat infection.

The initial symptoms include: feeling like a needle pierced a finger tip or a hand or foot numbness in parts of the body. Legs feel heavy and stiff or hardened, the arm felt weak and could not hand clutching or play something well (unlock, open cans, etc.)

Early symptoms can disappear within a few weeks, the patient usually does not feel the need to care or hard to explain to the team doctor for further treatment because the symptoms will disappear at the time of inspection.

The next stage while the symptoms began to appear difficulties means, for example: hard-stepping foot, arm became weak pain, and then doctors found the nerve reflexes have lost the function of the arm.

Patients usually feel an acute pain at the time of GBS. Especially occur on the regions of the spine and arms and legs. But there are also patients who did not complain of pain which means that although they experienced severe paralysis. The pain comes from swelling of the affected nerve, or from a temporary loss of muscle energy supply, or from sitting or sleeping position of the patients who have difficulty to move or turn his body into a comfortable position. To combat the pain doctor will give painkillers and nurses will provide therapies to relocate parts of the body is attacked by specific therapies. The pain may come and go and it was very normal for people with GBS.

These diseases arise from inflammation of peripheral nerves, resulting in the absence of messages from the brain to make movements that can be accepted by the affected muscles.

Because many of the affected nerves, including of nerves immune system is causing our body's immune system would be chaotic. Without orders it would produce fluid immune system on places unwanted can attack the peripheral nerves.

With treatment the immune system will stop attacking the nervous and working properly.
GBS diagnosis obtained from history and medical test results of physical and laboratory tests. From the history of the disease, the usual medicine drunk, addicted to alcohol, infections have ever suffered, then tick bite doctor will conclude whether the patients included in the list of GBS patients. Do not forget the history of the disease the patient had suffered and the families of patients such as diabetes mellitus, diet done, everything will be checked carefully to the doctor can make a verdict whether patients affected by GBS or other diseases.

Patients suspected of suffering from GBS are required to test: 1) full blood, 2) Lumbar Puncture, 3) EMG (electromyogram). Order, the first test will be done and then test the two if the first test of GBS was not detected, and the next.

As the rotation time, the signs of the weakening of the nerves would appear more severe in 4 to 6 weeks. Some patients weakened in relatively short time until the point of total paralysis in a matter of days, but this situation is very rare.

Patients then entered the stage of helplessness in a few days. At this time the patient is usually advised to rest in the hospital total. Although conditions in the weak state of the patient's highly recommended to always moving the body parts are affected to avoid stiff muscles. Physiotherapy expert usually will be very necessary to train the patient with specific therapies and will provide directives to the patient's family and friends train ways GBS patients.

Patients usually would weaken within a few weeks, so from that intensive treatment is needed in the stages where GBS began detected. In accordance with the stage and level of disability the patient then the doctor will determine what patient needs care in the ICU or not.

Approximately 25% of patients will have difficulty GBS: breathing, swallowing ability and hard to cough. In above conditions, usually the patient will be given to the aid of a ventilator to help breathing.

After some time, numbness conditions will gradually improve. Patients must remain wary because only 80% of patients can recover fully, depending on the severity of the patient could walk within weeks or years. But statistics prove that the average patient will get better within 3 to 6 months. Patients will leave severe disabilities in the most severely afflicted, need therapy long enough to restore the functions of paralyzed muscles by GBS. Usually takes a maximum of 4 years.

It’s medications only a kind of GAMAMUNE (Imuno globuline) is worth about 5 hundred dollars / bottle, patients will need this medicine is calculated from body weight, to the size of an adult per day spent 5 bottles for 4 - 5 days of treatment. The way the provision made through intravenous infusion assembly.