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What is CIDP?

Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) is a rare condition that occurs when myelin surrounding the peripheral nerves is mistakenly attacked by the immune system. Symptoms impact many parts of the body, but most notably the feet and hands, making day-to-day life challenging.

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A CIDP patient's foot depicting a 'foot drop' experience.

People with CIDP often experience “foot drop”—an inability to lift the front part of the foot

Home What is CIDP?

CIDP overview

Here are some key points about to keep in mind:

A map icon of the USA depicting that up to 29,000 people in the United States are thought to have CIDP. Up to 29,000 people in the United States are thought to have CIDP
A man icon depicting that men are twice as likely as women to be affected by CIDP. Men are twice as likely as women to be affected by CIDP
A 50 years icon depicting people usually develop CIDP symptoms at around 50 years old. While CIDP may appear at any age, people usually develop symptoms at around 50 years old
A woman and child icon depicting that CIDP mainly impacts adults, but 10% of CIDP cases are in children. CIDP mainly impacts adults, but 10% of CIDP cases are in children

What are the symptoms of CIDP?

The symptoms of CIDP are often symmetrical—meaning that they occur evenly on both the legs and arms. Here are common symptoms to look out for.

A raised hand icon depicting numbness of toes or fingers as one of the symptoms of CIDP.

Numbness of toes
or fingers

A knee reflexes icon depicting loss of or reduced reflexes as one of the symptoms of CIDP.

Loss of or
reduced reflexes

A purple walking shoe icon depicting difficulty walking as one of the symptoms of CIDP.

Difficulty walking

A head with a low battery icon showing fatigue as one of the symptoms of CIDP.

Fatigue

An arm with black arrow pointing down icon indicating muscle weakness and cramping in feet or hands as one of the symptoms of CIDP.

Muscle weakness And
Cramping in feet or hands

A finger and button icon indicating difficulties with main senses, including touch, as one of the symptoms of CIDP.

Difficulties with main
senses, including touch

A CIDP patient engaging in daily activities, illustrating how CIDP may affect tasks such as attending school or going to work due to their condition.

In a study of nearly 500 CIDP patients, 20% missed school or work and 47% stopped working altogether due to their condition

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Impact on daily life

The symptoms of CIDP don't just affect the body—they can impact a person's daily life as well.

People may have trouble with daily tasks, such as:

  • Daily grooming, such as washing and brushing hair
  • Getting dressed, such as doing or undoing buttons or zippers
  • Eating, including holding a knife and fork
  • Carrying or lifting items, including groceries or packages
  • Turning keys or opening items such as bottles
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CAREGIVER TIP

Have you been helping your loved one with everyday tasks because of muscle weakness? While helping with daily tasks is important, you can use your unique position to work with your loved one and their doctor to help form a clearer picture of their symptoms.

What causes CIDP?

CIDP is caused when the immune system mistakenly attacks the —a protective layer that surrounds the nerve.

The sends messages from the brain that help control essential functions of the body, such as moving muscles, maintaining a heartbeat, and digesting food.

When the nerves are damaged, the body has trouble getting a signal to complete these essential tasks. That's why people with CIDP may experience muscle weakness, which can lead to difficulty walking or issues with balance.

CIDP is both chronic and progressive, which means it's a long-term condition that can worsen over time. CIDP can go into remission, so it's important to get diagnosed as soon as possible to move forward with a management plan.

Tap on the dots to learn more about what CIDP looks like in the body of someone who is experiencing muscle weakness in their foot.

A human nervous system diagram illustrating the causes of CIDP.

Dive deeper into CIDP

If you would like to learn more about CIDP, you can find additional information on the CIDP advocacy groups page on our website.

LEARN MORE
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KNOW

How to TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR

Learn how partnering with your doctor could help you better manage your CIDP.

WORK WITH YOUR CARE TEAM
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GET SUPPORT FOR YOUR CIDP

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