CIDP is an autoimmune disorder in which the immune system attacks the myelin sheath of the peripheral nerves, causing inflammation and sometimes stripping the myelin. This results in loss of motor function, sensation, and proprioception in the arms and legs. CIDP is the chronic counterpart of the acute disorder, Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS). Find out more about CIDP and GBS.
CIDP usually starts gradually, but for me it was sudden. I was unable to walk four days after I first noticed a decline in my ability to balance on June 3, 2016. By July 25, 2016, my arms and legs were paralyzed. The good news is that one can recover from CIDP, and I’m in the process of doing just that! The first chapter of my battle with CIDP and how it affected my family is beautifully outlined in an article on the UHN (University Health Network) website.
Some known causes of CIDP include viruses, infections, surgery, physical trauma, inoculation, or insect bites- essentially anything that triggers the immune system to go haywire. No solid evidence suggests a genetic defect is at work. In my case, the cause is supposedly unknown. The term for this is idiopathic. About 40% of CIDP cases are idiopathic.