14241 SW 120 ST Suite #107
Miami, FL 33186
Miami, FL 33186
Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is a rare and severe autoimmune disorder. This condition makes a person’s immune system attack a part of their nervous system. When someone you know gets diagnosed or you suspect yourself having GBS, being more familiar with this condition may be more helpful for you all. Also, knowing a reliable center for paralysis recovery in Miami, like iAM ABLE Fitness, can be vital in managing your condition better.
To familiarize yourself more with Guillain-Barré syndrome, here are seven quick facts to guide you.
GBS is a condition wherein your immune system attacks part of the nervous system. It usually starts targeting your nerves, resulting in progressive weakness throughout the body.
While the leading cause of GBS remains unknown, other factors can contribute to the development of Guillain-Barré syndrome, which include:
Infection with Campylobacter jejuni, the bacteria that causes diarrhea, is one of the most common causes of GBS. About 1 in every 1,000 people with this condition gets GBS in the US, and about 8 out of 20 people diagnosed with GBS had a recent Campylobacter infection.
This condition can occur at any age, and males and females are equally prone to this disorder. However, according to the CDC, Guillain-Barré syndrome is rare and can affect only about one in 100,000 people, and an estimated 3,000-6,000 people develop GBS each year in the United States.
A few days or weeks after the onset of respiratory or gastrointestinal viral infection symptoms, GBS occurs. In some cases, the disorder has been triggered by surgery. In some countries, there have been reports of an increase in GBS incidents following the Zika virus infection, a mosquito-borne flavivirus. Albeit very rare, vaccinations may also increase the risk of this condition.
GBS symptoms usually start with weakness, pain, numbness, and tingling sensation in the legs and feet, spreading upwards to the upper body and arms. These symptoms are equal on both sides of the body. You will notice tingling or pain in the toes and fingertips, weakness or pain in the legs that can make walking and climbing up the stairs more difficult, loss of reflexes may also be present, facial weakness, and breathing problems.
GBS symptoms prompt weakness that eventually spreads quickly, leading to paralysis of the whole body. When the symptoms start to appear, most people will reach severe weakness within days up to the first two weeks, and usually, on the three-week mark of the disorder, 90% of the patients are at their weakest.
A patient’s symptoms can stabilize at this level for days, weeks, or even months, and the recovery period can range from weeks to years, depending on the patient. Some patients can still have residual weakness a few years later, even after fully recovering. There is also a slight chance of a relapse of muscle weakness and tingling sensations from the first attack after a few many years. Finding a trusted place for paralysis recovery in Miami can be instrumental to getting your life back together.
At present, there is no known cure for Guillain-Barré syndrome just yet. However, there are available treatments that can help speed up recovery and lower the severity of the disorder, such as:
Done by using a machine that pumps blood out of the body and takes out the cells attacking the nervous system. Afterward, blood gets returned to the body.
Also called an (IVIg) therapy wherein healthy antibodies are injected to help lessen the immune system’s attack on the body.
Certain medications are given or prescribed to the patient for pain relief and to avoid blood clots.
iAM Able Fitness is a center for paralysis recovery in Miami specializing in providing personalized activity-based therapy for each individual to achieve the best possible advancement in their recovery from Guillain-Barre Syndrome.
iAM ABLE Fitness can help you find the most suitable activity-based therapy for GBS that fits your needs. In addition, depending on the severity of your condition, we can help you bring back and develop muscle strength in your arms or legs to recover from GBS.
A person’s walking ability is usually affected by GBS. Luckily for patients seeking paralysis recovery in Miami, Lokomat Therapy is available in our fitness center to aid in your recovery. This is a modern form of gait therapy and a great way to rehabilitate your natural walking pattern.
First, you are strapped into an exoskeleton and hung from a harness; then, you can safely walk on a treadmill, even before your total strength is recovered. In time, your nervous system can rewire itself to help you start naturally walking again. We also have other equipment that we utilize to support your needs.
Apart from the physical activity-based programs, we also have a free downloadable eBook to support your recovery even outside our state-of-the-art facility. Staying focused on your recovery goal can sometimes be challenging, and slow progress may discourage you. But we at iAM Able Fitness understand that the process of recovery is tough and different for everyone. So whatever the challenges you face, we will face them together.
Grab our free e-book 7 Unbelievably Important Steps to Take to THRIVE after Paralysis by clicking the image below.
