what is gbs

Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) is a rare disorder in which the bodys immune system attacks the peripheral nervous system, which is the network of nerves located outside of the brain and spinal cord. This can result in muscle weakness, numbness or tingling in parts of the body, and sometimes paralysis. Symptoms often start in the feet and hands before spreading to the arms and legs, and can continue to worsen over the next few days or weeks before slowly improving. The exact cause of GBS is unknown, but two-thirds of patients report symptoms of an infection in the six weeks preceding, such as a respiratory or gastrointestinal infection, COVID-19, or Zika virus. Most people with GBS must be hospitalized to receive treatment, and recovery may take as little as a few weeks or as long as a few years. Fortunately, most people eventually recover from even the most severe cases of GBS, although some people are left with long-term problems.