Guillain-Barré Syndrome in Spanish

What it means

Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) is a rare disorder that causes the immune system to attack the peripheral nervous system, the nerves that connect the brain and spinal cord with the rest of the body. Damage to these nerves makes it hard for them to transmit signals, so the muscles have trouble responding to the brain. No one knows what causes the syndrome; sometimes it is triggered by an infection, surgery, or a vaccination. The first symptom is usually weakness or a tingling feeling in the legs, which can spread to the upper body. In severe cases a person becomes almost paralyzed, which is life-threatening. Most people recover; recovery can take a few weeks to a few years. Emergency symptoms such as difficulty breathing need urgent care (call 911 in the U.S.).

Guillain-Barré Syndrome in Spanish

Spanish term: Síndrome de Guillain-Barré
Gender and article: masculine: el síndrome de Guillain-Barré
Pronunciation: SEEN-droh-meh deh ghee-YAHN bah-REH

Other Spanish terms	Where it is used	Note
SGB	General	Abbreviation: the National Cancer Institute's Spanish dictionary says the syndrome is also called SGB.
GBS	General	English initials that the MedlinePlus en español encyclopedia keeps in its text ("por sus siglas en inglés").
síndrome de Landry-Guillain-Barré	General	Listed by MedlinePlus en español among the alternative names.

Síndrome de Guillain-Barré is the name on MedlinePlus en español and in the National Cancer Institute's Spanish dictionary. Síndrome is masculine: el síndrome de Guillain-Barré. Two abbreviations are in print. The NCI dictionary says the condition is also called SGB, and MedlinePlus en español lists SGB among its alternative names, yet the text of the MedlinePlus en español encyclopedia article writes GBS, por sus siglas en inglés, keeping the English initials.

Words MedlinePlus en español uses to describe it: sistema nervioso periférico (peripheral nervous system), debilidad (weakness), hormigueo (tingling), parálisis ascendente (ascending paralysis, its name for weakness that starts in the legs and spreads to the arms) and vaina de mielina (myelin sheath, the nerve covering). For testing it names punción lumbar (spinal tap), and for treatment a procedure called intercambio de plasma (plasma exchange). The NCI dictionary classes the syndrome as an enfermedad autoinmunitaria (autoimmune disease).

Phrases for an appointment

What a patient or a clinician might say, in English and Spanish:

Who	English	Spanish
Patient	Three days ago my legs started to feel weak and tingly, and now it is moving up.	Hace tres días empecé a sentir debilidad y hormigueo en las piernas, y ahora me está subiendo.
Clinician	Have you had an infection, surgery, or a vaccination in the last few weeks?	¿Ha tenido una infección, una cirugía o una vacuna en las últimas semanas?
Patient	I had a stomach infection about two weeks ago.	Tuve una infección estomacal hace unas dos semanas.
Clinician	Are you having any trouble breathing or swallowing?	¿Tiene alguna dificultad para respirar o para tragar?
Clinician	I am going to check your reflexes and the strength in your arms and legs.	Voy a revisarle los reflejos y la fuerza de los brazos y las piernas.
Clinician	We need to do a spinal tap and nerve tests to look for Guillain-Barré syndrome.	Necesitamos hacerle una punción lumbar y pruebas de los nervios para buscar el síndrome de Guillain-Barré.
Patient	How long does it take to recover from Guillain-Barré syndrome?	¿Cuánto tiempo se tarda en recuperarse del síndrome de Guillain-Barré?
Clinician	If you cannot take a deep breath or you choke on food, call 911 right away.	Si no puede respirar profundamente o se atraganta con la comida, llame al 911 de inmediato.

In 9 languages

Language	Term
English	Guillain-Barré Syndrome
Spanish (Español)	Síndrome de Guillain-Barré
Chinese (中文)	格林-巴利症候群
Korean (한국어)	길랭-바레 증후군
Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt)	Hội chứng Guillain-Barré
Filipino (Tagalog)	Guillain-Barré Syndrome
Portuguese (Português)	Síndrome de Guillain-Barré
Thai (ภาษาไทย)	กลุ่มอาการกิแยง-บาร์เร
Japanese (日本語)	ギラン・バレー症候群

Where you'll see it

chartEOBreferralmedical record

Related ICD-10-CM category

ICD-10-CM code: G61 → Inflammatory polyneuropathy

Related terms

Your right to an interpreter in the United States

If English is not your primary language and you have difficulty communicating in English, you may need an interpreter or a translated document when you visit a doctor or dentist, go to the emergency room or pick up a prescription. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights states that two federal laws, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, require programs that receive its funding to provide language access services free of charge.

You can ask when you make the appointment or at the front desk: "I need an interpreter, please." «Necesito un intérprete, por favor.»

More terms: Brain and nerves

All terms in this area: Brain and nerves — Cerebro y nervios

Sources

This page is a language reference. It is not medical advice.