Reply To: GBS/CIDP Survey
“All evidence is subjective …” (from Drew, above)
This is not true. The muscle strength tests used by neurologists and therapists are based on an objective scale. While instruments could be used to measure strength more precisely (and sometimes are), administering the test manually, without instruments, is sufficiently accurate for its purpose, particularly when administered repeatedly by the same person. Its purposes are to identify which nerves are affected, whether loss of strength is bilaterally symmetric or not, and whether muscles are progressively getting weaker or stronger. The last is the main characteristic which is monitored by neurologists after GBS or CIDP has been diagnosed, and simple, uninstrumented tests are sufficient. The lack of instrumentation does not make the test subjective, when conducted by a trained professional.