What is paralysis?

Paralysis is the loss of the ability to move some or all of your body. It can have lots of different causes, some of which can be serious. Depending on the cause, it may be temporary or permanent.    

Paralysis occurs when you’re unable to make voluntary muscle movements. A nervous system problem causes paralysis.

Uninjured nerves send signals to muscles. Those signals make muscles move. When you’re paralyzed, or have paralysis, you can’t move certain parts of your body.

Most paralysis is due to strokes or injuries such as spinal cord injury or a broken neck. Other causes of paralysis include: Nerve diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Autoimmune diseases such as Guillain-Barre syndrome.