Table of Contents
Can polio be cured?
No, there is no cure for polio. Polio vaccine is the only protection against polio. Safe and effective vaccines exist – the oral polio vaccine (OPV) and the inactivated polio vaccine (IPV).
How does polio cause paralysis?
Polio, or poliomyelitis, is a disabling and life-threatening disease caused by the poliovirus. The virus spreads from person to person and can infect a person’s spinal cord, causing paralysis (can’t move parts of the body).
What are the deformities caused due to polio?
The long-term consequence of paralysis from poliomyelitis is deformity, the location and type depending on the muscles affected and imbalance between muscle groups. With skeletal growth, leg shortening, soft tissue contractures and foot deformities often develop in poliomyelitis [3–5].
What body system does polio affect?
Polio is a viral disease which may affect the spinal cord causing muscle weakness and paralysis. The polio virus enters the body through the mouth, usually from hands contaminated with the stool of an infected person. Polio is more common in infants and young children and occurs under conditions of poor hygiene.
Can you recover from polio paralysis?
People who have milder polio symptoms usually make a full recovery within 1–2 weeks. People whose symptoms are more severe can be weak or paralyzed for life, and some may die. After recovery, a few people might develop “post-polio syndrome” as long as 30–40 years after their initial illness.
Can polio come back?
But polio is making a comeback. There have been recent outbreaks around the world. Symptoms of polio can range from a mild, flu-like illness to serious muscle paralysis. Many people who survive polio are later at risk for PPS.
Is polio paralysis reversible?
Key facts. Polio (poliomyelitis) mainly affects children under 5 years of age. 1 in 200 infections leads to irreversible paralysis. Among those paralysed, 5\% to 10\% die when their breathing muscles become immobilized.
What is post polio residual paralysis?
Post-polio syndrome refers to a cluster of potentially disabling signs and symptoms that appear decades — an average of 30 to 40 years — after the initial polio illness. Polio once resulted in paralysis and death. However, the inactivated polio vaccine greatly reduced polio’s spread.
What type of doctor treats post polio syndrome?
Neurologists are physicians who diagnose and treat disorders of the nervous system. They address diseases of the spinal cord, nerves, and muscles that affect the operation of the nervous system.
What part of the body is most affected by polio?
Polio affects the body by attacking your central nervous system. It infects the spinal cord, brain and surrounding tissues. Your symptoms vary depending on which area of the spinal cord and brain it attacks. If you are affected by a lesser strain of poliovirus, you may experience minor symptoms that mirror the flu.