Paralysis is the loss of muscle function – the muscles no longer work or move as you want them to. With paralysis, you may lose sensation or feeling in the affected area, but this isn’t always the case. The extent of the paralysis depends upon what caused it. It can be due to trauma (ex: an accident), an illness (ex: multiple sclerosis), an infection (ex: tranverse myelitis), or other disorders, such as spina bifida or stroke.
Paralyzed muscles can be anywhere in the body, from facial paralysis, like what is caused by Bell’s palsy, to quadraplegia, which affects both the arms and legs, as well as some chest muscles.
Sepsis is an illness that can develop in some people with paralysis. Sepsis is a life-threatening emergency that happens when your body’s response to an infection damages vital organs and, often, causes death. Like strokes or heart attacks, sepsis is a medical emergency that requires rapid diagnosis and treatment.
Suggested Citation:
Sepsis Alliance. Sepsis and Paralysis. 2024. https://www.sepsis.org/sepsisand/paralysis/
Updated March 14, 2024.
