Guillain-Barre syndrome is a disorder in which the body's immune
system attacks part of the peripheral nervous system. The first
symptoms of this disorder include varying degrees of weakness or
tingling sensations in the legs. In many instances the weakness
and abnormal sensations spread to the arms and upper body. These
symptoms can increase in intensity until the muscles cannot be
used at all and the patient is almost totally paralyzed. In
these cases the disorder is life threatening and makes breathing
difficult. This state of illness also affects blood pressure or
heart rate and is a medical emergency. The patient needs
hospitalization in intensive care unit. The condition is
reversible, with variable degree of weakness remaining as a
sequel or end result of illness which takes considerable time to
recover. Guillain-Barre syndrome can affect anybody. It can
strike at any age and both sexes are equally prone to the
disorder. The disorder can develop over the course of hours or
days, or it may take up to 3