Paralysis: Types, Causes and What Happens

What it is

Paralysis is the loss of muscle function in part of the body. It happens when something disrupts the messages passing between your brain and your muscles.

Kinds of paralysis

• Complete or partial.
• On one side of the body or both.
• In one area, or widespread.
• Paraplegia: paralysis of the lower half of the body, including both legs.
• Quadriplegia: paralysis of the arms and legs.

Causes

Most paralysis comes from strokes or injuries, such as a spinal cord injury or a broken neck. Other causes include:

• nerve diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis;
• autoimmune diseases, such as Guillain-Barré syndrome;
• Bell's palsy, which affects the muscles of the face.

Polio once caused paralysis, but it no longer occurs in the United States.

Sources

Based on the MedlinePlus health topic "Paralysis," National Library of Medicine; a work of the United States government in the public domain.