CIDP has a variety of signs and symptoms that differ from person to person

The most common symptoms of CIDP are weakness, numbness, and tingling in the legs, arms, fingers, and hands. Other symptoms include fatigue, pain, balance issues, and impairment of your ability to walk. Some people have described feeling as if there were an electrical storm in their arms or legs.1,2

Symptoms usually occur on both sides of the body at the same time. But sometimes only one side is involved. You may experience symptoms in your head, arms, fingers and hands, legs, and toes and feet. Symptoms of CIDP can be mild, moderate, or severe and change in severity over time.1,3

If you think you have CIDP, you may be experiencing pain, and any or all of the following symptoms2,4:

HEAD
  • Loss of facial movement
ARMS
  • Weakness
FINGERS & HANDS
  • Weakness
  • Tingling
  • Numbness
  • Burning sensation
LEGS
  • Weakness
TOES & FEET
  • Weakness
  • Tingling
  • Numbness
  • Burning sensation
ADDITIONAL SYMPTOMS
  • Impaired coordination
  • Abnormal walk
  • Trouble walking
  • Trouble bending over
  • Trouble reaching
  • Trouble squatting
  • Feeling tired
  • Problems with balance

Because CIDP has symptoms similar to other conditions like GBS, MS, and ALS, it is often misdiagnosed. In order for your doctor to provide you with a valid CIDP diagnosis, your symptoms need to be present for 8 weeks or more.4

Guillain-Barré syndrome is a disorder in which the body's immune system attacks part of the peripheral nervous system.5

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a progressive disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord, causing weakness in the neck, arms, and legs, and in muscles controlling speech, swallowing, and breathing.7

Multiple sclerosis is a chronic, typically progressive disease that affects the brain and spinal cord, causing symptoms like numbness, impairment of speech and muscular coordination, concentration problems, urinary urgency or incontinence, and blurred vision.6

CIDP can be misdiagnosed due to similar symptoms associated with other conditions like GBS, MS, or ALS.

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Could I have CIDP?

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how is cidp diagnosed?

There are various tests and tools used to assess and diagnose CIDP.

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References:

1. Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP). University of Chicago Center for Peripheral Neuropathy website. http://peripheralneuropathycenter.uchicago.edu/learnaboutpn/typesofpn/inflammatory/cidp.shtml. Accessed February 16, 2017. 2. Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyradiculoneuropathy. University of Rochester Medical Center website. https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?contenttypeid=134&contentid=210. Accessed January 9, 2017. 3. Gorson KC, Gooch CL. The (mis)diagnosis of CIDP: The high price of missing the mark. Neurology. 2015;85(6):488-489. 4. Lewis RA. Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy: practice essentials, background, pathophysiology. Medscape website. http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1172965-overview#showall. Accessed February 16, 2017. 5. What is Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS)? GBS/CIDP Foundation International website. https://www.gbs-cidp.org/gbs/. Accessed March 6, 2017. 6. Multiple sclerosis: symptoms and causes. Mayo Clinic website. http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/multiple-sclerosis/symptoms-causes/dxc-20131884. Accessed February 23, 2017.  7. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) fact sheet. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke website. https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/Fact-Sheets/Amyotrophic-Lateral-Sclerosis-ALS-Fact-Sheet#Symptoms. Accessed February 23, 2017.