New Delhi: Pune, in Maharashtra, is grappling with a rare condition that has already attacked 73 people, rendering 14 to require ventilator support. The patients are suffering from a condition called the Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) or a disease when the nerves are attacked. It begins with a sense of numbness and weakness but can quickly progress into a more serious condition if not tended to. The syndrome can even lead to a paralysis in some cases. The Pune rise in cases is being studied closely by brain surgeons who have tagged this a “rare episode.”
The GBS usually manifests with a weakness and tingling in the hands and feet but it is considered dangerous because these sensations can quickly transform to paralysis. In some cases, it becomes a medical emergency.
The cause of the disease
It is an infection that leads to the GBS but not much research has been done on the disease as such. The GBS is so rare that scientists have constantly failed to arrive at a conclusive decision on what causes it. However, over the years, they have documented that two-thirds of people have had an infection which leads to the GBS in a matter of six weeks from the incubation period of the infection. These can include a respiratory or a gastrointestinal infection, such as COVID-19. It has also been noted that the Guillain-Barre is caused by the Zika virus.
However, why the SARS-CoV 2 and the Zika lead to this rare nerve disorder is not documented. There have been speculation in the medical community that GBS occurs after a respiratory infection because the immune system is considerably weak. The severity of the infection also has a bearing on the disease and its outcome in our body.
Once diagnosed, doctors have identified the types of the GBS which makes it easier for them to determine course of treatment.
Three types of the GBS
he symptoms of the GBS are not very different in the types but the line of treatment could be varied. The different forms of the GBS are commonly known as:
- Acute inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (AIDP), found commonly in North America and Europe. Signs include weakness in the muscle starting in the lower part of the body and spreading upwards.
- Miller Fisher syndrome (MFS), no noticeable muscle impairment but the tingling or the paralysis starts in the eyes. MFS is also associated with an unsteady walk. This is more commonly found in Asia.
- Acute motor axonal neuropathy (AMAN) and acute motor-sensory axonal neuropathy (AMSAN) are the rarest of the types for GBS, only a handful of cases have been recorded from the US and some other cases in China, Japan and Mexico.
Typical symptoms of all forms
Because there has not been adequate research on the nerve disorder, it may be difficult to assess exact symptoms of the GBS. But medical history suggests these as natural symptoms of the disease.
The Guillain-Barre syndrome starts with a tingling sensation that is hard to miss. One can feel it in the feet and legs and spreading to the upper body and arms. There have been a few cases where the patients felt the tingling for an extended period of time in their arms or face too.
Here are some symptoms of the disease as noted by the Mayoclinic org website that details out information on every disease:
- Feeling of being pricked by pins in the fingers, toes, ankles and even the wrists.
- Weakness in the legs that quickly spreads to the upper body.
- Unsteady walk, not able to climb stairs.
- Facial movements do not register or there is trouble speaking, chewing and swallowing.
- Some patients have even complained of double vision or inability to move the eyes.
- Severe pain that may feel achy, shooting or cramp-like and may be worse at night.
- Trouble with bladder control or bowel function.
- A very rapid or inconsistent heart rate.
- Blood pressure playing havoc – increases and decreases at the same time.
- Issue in breathing.
It is a serious nervous system disease and can severely impair lifestyle for the patient. One requires immediate hospitalisation if the following symptoms are observed in a patient who has recently recovered from a severe respiratory infection.
- Seek medical help the moment you find the tingling that started in your feet is moving up your body.
- Any incident of shortness of breath requires immediate monitoring.
- Rush to the medical centre if you are choking on saliva frequently.
There are many treatment options available that can to some extent ease symptoms and hasten recovery but no fixed cure has been found for GBS yet. Most patients suffering from the condition recover completely, but some serious illnesses can lead to fatal outcomes. In 90 per cent of the cases of GBS, the patient is able to walk again six months after symptoms first appeared.
The PTI reported that the GBS cases (a rare nerve disorder) has risen in Pune, Maharashtra, to 73, including 47 men and 26 women. Of the cases, most have recovered while 14 are on ventilator support. The GBS is a rare condition in which the body’s own immune system revolts against the nerves. It begins as a tingling sensation but can quickly grow into something fatal Health News Health News: Latest News from Health Care, Mental Health, Weight Loss, Disease, Nutrition, Healthcare
