Role of Ayurveda in the Management of Guillain-Barré Syndrome

Abstract

Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is a peripheral neuropathy with acute onset, and characterized by rapidly developing motor weakness. It is autoimmune in nature and triggered by a preceding infection. A 48 years old female patient was brought with complaints of paralysis of all the four limbs (quadriplegia), back pain and pain in the right lower limb since one month. She was previously treated in tertiary care hospital with IV Immunoglobulin and plasmapheresis but showed no improvement. So she admitted and treated in Mahatma Gandhi Ayurved College Hospital & Research Centre, Salod (H) Wardha on 21.06.2018. In Ayurveda, there is no direct description of this disease but this condition can be correlated with Sarvanga vata (vata affecting all parts of the body), hence she was treated following principles of Vatavyadhi chikitsa which include Abhyanga (Oleation therapy), Swedana (Fomentation), Matrabasti (enema with medicated oil), Nasya (Nasal medicated oil administration) and various  herbomineral formulations for 51 days. Along with this physiotherapy and Trans Electrical Nerve Stimulation was also applied. Significant results were observed in the form of improvement in the muscle power from zero to four for all the four limbs with improvement in her general condition as well as daily activities