Allina Health's Courage Kenny helps man recover from a bizarre paralysis

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Paul Auger, an avid golfer and skier, puts his cane aside as he does leg exercises to strengthen his muscles in the break room area of his repair shop. Auger is battling Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare neurological disorder.

[Pioneer Press, October 14, 2018] Almost two years ago Paul Auger's foot went numb. Within days, Auger was totally paralyzed. He couldn’t breathe on his own. He couldn’t swallow. He couldn’t even close his eyes. He was rushed to a hospital. The diagnosis: Guillain-Barre syndrome, a rare disorder in which the body’s immune system attacks the nerves.

Dr. David Bradberry Jr., an Allina Health physician at the Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute who specializes in physical medicine and rehabilitation, said when the nerves are attacked, their electrical signals to muscles to execute functions are blocked.

In his practice at St. Paul’s United Hospital, Bradberry says, he sees a Guillain-Barre case about once a month, typically resulting in muscle weakness in the arms and legs or the legs only. He has seen severe cases like Auger’s, in which a person’s entire body is affected, but they are not as common. Read the full story at www.twincities.com.

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