Guillain-Barre is rare, affecting only about 1 in 100,000 , according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. There’s no cure for GBS, but treatment can reduce the severity of your symptoms and shorten the duration of the illness.
Spinal Tap A spinal tap involves taking a small amount of fluid from your spine in your lower back. This fluid is called cerebrospinal fluid. Your cerebrospinal fluid is then tested to detect protein levels. People with Guillain-Barre typically have higher-than-normal levels of protein in their cerebrospinal fluid. This test is also referred to as a lumbar puncture.
Electromyography An electromyography is a nerve function test. It reads electrical activity from the muscles to help your doctor learn if your muscle weakness is caused by nerve damage or muscle damage.
Nerves Condition Test Nerve conduction studies may be used to test how well your nerves and muscles respond to small electrical pulses.
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In addition, recovery is not necessarily quick. As noted above, patients usually reach the point of greatest weakness or paralysis days or weeks after the first symptoms occur. Symptoms then stabilize at this level for a period of days, weeks, or, sometimes, months. The recovery period may be as little as a few weeks or as long as a few years. About 30 percent of those with Guillain-Barre still have a residual weakness after 3 years. About 3 percent may suffer a relapse of muscle weakness and tingling sensations many years after the initial