Guillain-Barré syndrome

Guillain-Barré (pronounced ghee-yan bar-ray) syndrome is a rare condition that affects the nerves. It’s serious and needs urgent treatment in hospital.

Symptoms of Guillain-Barré syndrome

Guillain-Barré syndrome affects your senses, your movement and things such as breathing and your heartbeat.

It usually affects your arms and legs first before you get symptoms in other parts of your body.

Symptoms usually get worse over the first 2 to 4 weeks.

You might feel tingling, numbness or pins and needles in your feet and hands first. This is usually followed by muscle weakness and difficulty moving your joints.

Other symptoms can include:

• sharp, shooting pain (nerve pain), often in your legs or back
• problems breathing
• problems with your face, such as drooping face muscles or trouble swallowing or speaking
• problems with your eyes, such as double vision

Some people’s symptoms become so severe that they are not able to move their legs, arms and face (paralysis).

For further information, please visit the resources below:

Guillain-Barré syndrome – NHS
GAIN Charity: Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) & Associated Neuropathies
Guillain-Barré syndrome – Support for neurological conditions | The Brain Charity
Inflammatory Neuropathies UK – Pain UK