It is usually fairly easy to recognise the patient who presents with a few days' history of progressive sensory symptoms, flaccid tetraparesis, and areflexia, perhaps with increasing bulbar weakness.

当患者于数天内行性出现感觉症状、弛缓性四、反射消失、甚至伴行性球麻痹时，识症状非常简单，但于疾病早期作出格林-巴利综合征的诊断却很困难。