Guillain-Barré (Ghee-yan Bah-ray) Syndrome is an inflammatory disorder of the peripheral nerves outside the brain and spinal cord. It’s also called:
Tingling, numbness and pain alone or in combination followed by weakness in the legs and arm that affects both sides equally and worsens over time. The weakness can take half a day to over two weeks to reach maximum severity, and then becomes steady. In one in five people, the weakness continues to progress for as long as four weeks.
Guillain-Barré syndrome is often preceded by an infection. This could be a bacterial or viral infection. Guillain-Barré syndrome may also be triggered by vaccine administration or surgery.
In the context of Zika virus infection, an unexpected increase in cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome has been described in affected countries. The most likely explanation of available evidence from outbreaks of Zika virus infection and Guillain-Barré syndrome is that Zika virus infection is a trigger of Guillain-Barré syndrome.
Diagnosis is based on symptoms and findings on neurological examination including diminished or loss of deep-tendon reflexes. A lumbar puncture may be done for supportive information, though should not delay treatment. Other tests, such as blood tests, to identify the underlying trigger are not required to make the diagnosis of GBS and should not delay treatment.
So then the first part of the rehabilitation phase begins. When we start to get patients moving we have to keep in mind the physiotherapy must be graduated. We realize the patients can fatigue quite quickly and so we try to build up the strength very gradually, deliberately providing a little more demand each time in exercising the respiratory muscles.
The positioning of the patient is vital. He/she needs to be nursed so that the lungs are kept clear – from side to side and if need be to be “jacked up” with the head down so allowing any secretion in the lungs to be drained out.
Patients suffering from GBS disease often complain of severe pain, which can be managed by applying TENS, IFT and other pain relieving techniques.
If muscles are kept in a shortened position long enough then there is an increase in the stiffness of the muscle. So there should be “passive” movements, i.e. aided – through the full range at least once a day. If there is too much movement with weak muscles around a joint, the joint can become quite loose and set up later some pain. Too little movement and you end up with a stiff joint. You can have muscle stiffness and then joint stiffness. This again can become quite painful.