Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP) is an autoimmune disease which occurs when the body’s immune system slowly attacks the peripheral nerves stripping away the protective coating for the nerves called the myelin sheath. This causes weakness or paralysis of muscles, usually the legs and arms, in those suffering from CIDP. The most common symptoms include fatigue, loss or reflexes, numbness or tingling in the extremities and pain, weakness or paralysis of muscles. In later stages of the disease, the immune system breaks through the myelin covering and attacks the nerves themselves. The disease is related to Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) and is often referred to as a chronic form of that condition. However, in the case of CIDP, the effects usually come on more slowly and are chronic or long lasting. CIDP is also called Chronic Relapsing Polyneuropathy when patients seem to stabilize and recover, then experience a return of the symptoms later on. CIDP may be treated with corticosteroids, plasma exchanges or repeated IVIG physiotherapy.
If you or a loved one started experiencing CIDP after receiving a vaccine, please contact our Vaccine Injury Attorneys. This is not a typical personal injury case. You need to contact a lawyer who is admitted to practice before the United States Courts of Federal Claims and has experience litigating vaccine injury cases.