{"id":8140,"date":"2019-07-16T06:50:23","date_gmt":"2019-07-16T06:50:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/?p=8140"},"modified":"2021-11-09T14:09:51","modified_gmt":"2021-11-09T14:09:51","slug":"14-probable-symptoms-of-post-polio-syndrome","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/14-probable-symptoms-of-post-polio-syndrome\/","title":{"rendered":"14 Probable Symptoms of Post Polio Syndrome"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Polio used to be one of the most feared diseases in the world, and it\u2019s estimated that as many as 50, 000 people were affected by polio every year during the height of the health condition in the 1940s and 50s. Today, the condition is a lot less prevalent than it used to be, and we can thank vaccinations for reducing the number of reported polio cases that are around today \u2013 but there are still isolated pockets of polio breakouts, and then there\u2019s a condition referred to as post-polio syndrome (or PPS). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you have ever been diagnosed with polio, then you have as much as a 45% chance of contracting post-polio syndrome later in your life. While PPS isn\u2019t considered to be contagious, polio as an active condition still is \u2013 and if you suspect that you might have contracted polio, see your doctor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are 8 probable symptoms of post-polio syndrome that you should be aware of. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Muscle Weakness<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Muscle weakness <\/a>is usually one of the first symptoms that you\u2019ll experience if you\u2019re suffering from polio, but it will also happen as a recurring symptom if you are diagnosed with post-polio syndrome. The muscle weakness in cases of post-polio syndrome is often related to the rate of muscle degeneration that was experienced with the initial manifestations of the condition, and this means that no two cases are exactly the same. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some sufferers might note that the symptom of muscle weakness begins in different parts of the body, while most people will also note that the rate of muscle weakness varies from case to case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In order to deal with muscle weakness better, physical therapy is often the first prescribed step to dealing with the muscle weakness that can be associated with polio and post-polio syndrome. Moderate exercise has also been proven to help a great deal, as can bracing the muscles and joints.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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2. Loss of Appetite<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Appetite <\/a>is one of the first things that tends to disappear when you\u2019re sick, and yet your appetite is one of the things that you need most when you\u2019re in recovery from any kind of disease or illness that might affect your health or wellbeing. When you\u2019re sick, your body needs energy in order to help your immune system ward off the worst of the symptoms \u2013 but if you aren\u2019t consuming enough of the right nutrients, then your immune system won\u2019t have the fuel that it needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are plenty of easy and natural ways in which you can improve your appetite at home, including the use of compounds such as CBD oil which is known to increase appetite without having any adverse effects. If loss of appetite persists even after the symptoms of PPS, it\u2019s likely that it\u2019s caused by something else \u2013 see your doctor for the proper tests to find out the cause and treat whatever might be causing it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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3. Fatigue<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Fatigue <\/a>is usually one of the first signs that there\u2019s something wrong with your body, and when it shows up as a symptom it always means that you should take a closer look at your health in order to find the cause. When experiencing fatigue, one of the first things that you\u2019ll notice is that it\u2019s usually entirely unrelated to the amount of sleep that you might have been getting, and more sleep usually doesn\u2019t make chronic fatigue much better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It can be a terrible symptom, and it can affect every part of your daily life. It can also be one of the first symptoms of post-polio syndrome that you experience, and you should pay careful attention if you experience it together with any of the other symptoms in this article.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Experiencing fatigue as a separate symptom away from other PPS symptoms usually also means that it warrants a closer professional look.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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4. Muscle Atrophy<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Polio might not affect as many people as it once did, but it\u2019s still considered a very serious condition within the isolated pockets of the world where polio cases can still be seen \u2013 and it should be mentioned that cases of the post-polio syndrome can happen even in times where there are no current polio outbreaks due to the fact that it hits people who have already survived polio, and the condition can happen no matter when they contracted polio initially.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other than muscle pain<\/a> and weakness, muscle atrophy is one of the more serious symptoms of post-polio syndrome that can happen to you \u2013 usually, it\u2019s related to which muscle areas were originally affected. The severity of the muscle atrophy will also tend to depend on the severity of the initial polio infection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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5. Fever<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A fever <\/a>is one of the first symptoms that you\u2019ll experience when you get sick, and it\u2019s your body\u2019s way of raising your natural body temperature to the point where an infection is less likely to be able to continue living. Even though it\u2019s a natural method of defense, running a high fever for too long isn\u2019t healthy at all, and it can put a lot of added unnecessary strain on your body and heart. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you have a fever, the first thing that you should do is to take some over-the-counter medication that can help to bring the fever down \u2013 but be careful in cases where the person in question has a severely compromised immune system, is elderly, or is younger than the age of 12. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Should this step not be sufficient in order to take care of the fever, don\u2019t try to continue treating it at home: See your doctor if any type of fever persists for several hours despite attempts at treating it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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6. Joint Pain<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Joint<\/a> pain is characteristic of medical conditions like arthritis and osteoarthritis, but these health conditions aren\u2019t the only things that can cause it. Cases of post-polio syndrome can have years of joint pain as a result of the original polio infection, and it will have to be treated symptomatically in order for the patient to experience any kind of long-term relief.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you experience sudden episodes of joint pain and swelling and you have ever been diagnosed with polio before in your life, then post-polio syndrome is a likely cause \u2013 especially if you can combine several of the symptoms mentioned in this article with one another. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you experience issues with muscle control or pain together with joint pain, it could be a post-polio syndrome, or it could be caused by other musculature or neurological conditions: See your doctor have the proper tests done in order to establish the cause. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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7. Issues Breathing and Swallowing<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Nerve <\/a>damage is one of the most common symptoms that people who have recovered from polio will experience, and it\u2019s one of the symptoms that can stick for years or even decades after the initial infection has been banished from the body. This is also one of the first and most serious symptoms that can return when you have post-polio syndrome, as is the case with at least 45% of diagnosed polio cases. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Issues experienced with breathing and swallowing are two of the most common ones which people diagnosed with polio can experience \u2013 but this can also be one of the most fatal and dangerous symptoms at the same time. The difficulty when swallowing or breathing happens due to the associated nerve damage that comes with polio and PSS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first recommendation if you were to experience this symptom is to see your doctor as soon as possible; this is true both in cases where polio or post-polio syndrome are suspected owing to the severe potential danger of the symptom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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8. Skeletal Deformities<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Skeletal deformities are common in diagnosed polio cases, and these skeletal deformities are often treated symptomatically from their onset because of the fact that the damage often can\u2019t be reversed completely even with surgical help. These skeletal deformities can include growths on the bone, slower-than-normal healing time for bone injuries, fragile bones by default, and also other health conditions of the spine such as scoliosis. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

These skeletal deformities can often go together with other conditions like arthritis<\/a>, and be the source of a considerable amount of discomfort throughout life \u2013 but there are ways in which these skeletal deformities can be made a lot easier to deal with over the long term, including bracing and anti-inflammatory medication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the case of a post-polio syndrome flare-up, these skeletal conditions can also restart and cause the same pain and discomfort from the start. See your doctor if you suspect that this is the case. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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9. Sensitivity to Hot and Cold<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One of the signs of post-polio syndrome in patients is the onset of sensitivity to cold and cold. In many cases, the patient may feel pain symptoms in cold or hot climates, and they might also develop sensitivity to touch. Medical science is at a loss to explain why patients experience this issue. There’s no standard treatment <\/a>for it, and the patient often has to wait for the feeling to subside. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s not a life-threatening symptom, and it’s also a common sign of many other diseases. It’s challenging for a doctor to base their diagnosis of PPS on this symptom alone. However, when it occurs alongside others, doctors take it as an indicator of the condition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Patients with PPS might notice that the symptoms of hot and cold sensitivity subside, while others find it’s always around in the background. Getting into a hot bath or standing outside in cold wind can trigger the symptoms, causing pain in the affected individual. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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10. Sleep Disorders<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Millions of Americans deal with the effects of sleep disorders., From insomnia <\/a>to sleep apnea, there are plenty of ways you can stop yourself from getting the rest you need. Sleep is essential for our well-being and mental health. When we experience sleep deprivation, it creates a host of adverse health disorders, from auto-immune dysfunction to cognitive problems. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to leading sleep researcher, Dr. Matthew Walker, sleep is essential for the recovery process. Those people that don’t get enough sleep have a poor quality of life and plenty of health problems. One of the issues with PPS is its effect on your sleep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people living with OPPS find they wake up in the night, and they also have difficulty falling asleep. Depending on the severity of the condition, your doctor might recommend sleeping medications to help you get the rest you need. If you’re struggling to get to sleep, check your sleep hygiene and make sure you reduce the stimulus your brain receives in the last few hours before bedtime. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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11. Muscular Pain<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

People living with PPS might also notice they develop signs of muscular pain alongside weakness. Muscular pain can occur as a light throbbing sensation in the background and intensify when you attempt any physical activity. Muscular pain comes and goes, like many of the other symptoms of the syndrome. When the signs of the condition occur, you cannot do much to resolve the situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We recommend brewing a cup of chamomile tea and relaxing. Chamomile tea<\/a> is a potent natural nervine agent that soothes stress and anxiety in the body. The polyphenols in the tea enter the nervous and muscular systems, helping you relax and release tension from your muscular system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While sipping on the tea won’t remove your symptoms entirely, you’ll notice a dampening effect that reduces the pain. You can also diffuse with chamomile essential oil. Add it to your diffuser and run it in your bedroom overnight. The polyphenols enter the air, and you breathe them in, helping to soothe the pain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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12. How Do Doctors Diagnose PPS?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Post-polio syndrome only develops in people who experienced a polio infection<\/a>. Typically, PPS occurs in people that have polio in their youth but recover. The virus can lay dormant in your system, presenting no problems for decades. Medical science is unable to explain the re-emergence of polio-like symptoms in people who previously had the disease.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In some cases, PPS can appear decades after the person’s initial infection. When doctors diagnose PPS, they ask the patient about their previous experience with the disease and their family history. The practitioner typically tests your muscular strength and conducts a physical exam to look at your overall health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some of the testing for PPS include the following <\/p>\n\n\n\n