How is post-polio syndrome treated?
There is no cure for PPS
. But supportive therapies can help you manage the condition. The goal of treatment for PPS is to reduce the impact of the condition on your daily life.
Is post-polio permanent?
Symptoms vary from mild flu-like symptoms to life-threatening paralysis. In less than 1% of cases,
polio causes permanent paralysis of the arms, legs or breathing muscles
. Between 5% and 10% of people who develop paralytic polio will die. Physical symptoms may emerge 15 years or more after the first polio infection.
Can post polio be cured?
There’s currently no cure for post-polio syndrome
, so treatment focuses on helping you manage your symptoms and improving your quality of life. People with the condition are often treated by a team of different healthcare professionals working together. This is known as a multidisciplinary team (MDT).
Is post-polio syndrome life-threatening?
Post-polio
syndrome is rarely life-threatening
, although some people develop breathing and swallowing difficulties that can lead to serious problems, such as chest infections.
Does exercise help post polio syndrome?
If you have Post Polio Syndrome (PPS), it’s
vital to exercise moderately every second day
to keep the muscles we have and avoid obesity, diabetes, stroke and heart disease. Exercise also helps us accomplish more of those activities of daily living and can improve how we feel.
How long can you live with post polio syndrome?
Long interval after recovery.
People who recover from the initial attack of polio often live
for years
without further signs or symptoms. The onset of late effects varies widely but typically begins at least 15 years after the initial diagnosis.
Can you catch polio twice?
There are three types of polio virus. Lifelong immunity usually depends on which type of virus a person contracts.
Second attacks are rare and result from infection with
a polio virus of a different type than the first attack.
How old is the oldest polio survivor?
Marguerite Scarry, who is still going strong at the age of
99
, is currently the oldest living polio survivor in the world.
What famous person had polio?
Franklin D. Roosevelt
was the 32nd President of the United States. Not only did he serve an unprecedented four terms in office, but he was also the first president with a significant physical disability. FDR was diagnosed with infantile paralysis, better known as polio, in 1921, at the age of 39.
What are the consequences of polio?
Paralysis is the most severe symptom associated with polio, because it can lead
to permanent disability and death
. Between 2 and 10 out of 100 people who have paralysis from poliovirus infection die, because the virus affects the muscles that help them breathe.
Is post-polio syndrome painful?
Muscle and joint pain
are also common in post-polio syndrome. Muscle pain is usually felt as a deep ache in the muscles or muscle cramps and spasms. The pain is often worse after you’ve used the affected muscles. It can be particularly troublesome during the evening after a day’s activities.
Does post-polio syndrome affect brain?
Autopsies in some polio patients have found
damage to the brainstem and motor cortex
as well as to spinal motor neurons. Alternatively, polio may have spared the motor cortex, but the cortex reorganized in different ways to compensate for the loss of spinal motor neurons.
What kind of doctor do you see for post polio syndrome?
These physicians most commonly will provide consultation services to your parent’s primary care physician and may provide continuing comprehensive follow-up of post-polio related problems. Many survivors need a network of medical providers (
orthopedist, pulmonologist, orthotist, physiatrist, neurologist
, etc.)
Is post polio syndrome a neurological condition?
Post-polio syndrome (PPS) is a
neurological condition
that affects polio survivors decades after their initial infection.
Can you walk if you have polio?
Polio often paralyzed or severely weakened the legs of those who contracted the disease. Regaining the ability to walk was thus a significant measure of recovery from the disease. However,
walking meant more than the
physical act itself.
Does post polio syndrome qualify for disability?
If your polio symptoms are severe,
you may be eligible to receive automatic approval to receive Social Security Disability benefits
, and at least experience relief from the financial burdens caused by your condition. You simply must demonstrate that you meet the requirements set forth in the SSD blue book.
