Question

A nurse is assessing an adult patient in an inpatient unit. The patient states, "I came into the emergency department because I was experiencing numbness in my feet. On the way to the hospital, it got worse and went up my legs and I couldn't move them." What disease of the peripheral nervous system is the patient experiencing?

A) Multiple sclerosis
B) Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
C) Guillain-Barré syndrome
D) Myasthenia gravis

Answer 1

The patient is experiencing Guillain-Barré Syndrome, which is a demyelinating disease of the peripheral nervous system. GBS is characterized by sensory symptoms, motor deficits, and autonomic failures.

Step-by-step explanation:

Guillain-Barré Syndrome

Based on the patient's symptoms of numbness in the feet that progressed up the legs and caused paralysis, the disease they are experiencing is Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS). GBS is a demyelinating disease of the peripheral nervous system that results from an autoimmune reaction. In GBS, the inflammation occurs in the peripheral nerves, leading to sensory symptoms, motor deficits, and autonomic failures.