Post-polio syndrome

ARTICLE SECTIONS

Definition Symptoms Causes Risk factors When to seek medical advice

Tests and diagnosis Complications Treatments and drugs Lifestyle and home remedies

Definition

For years, polio was one of the most feared diseases in America, responsible for crippling, paralysis and death. In 1952, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it reached its peak in the United States with more than 21,000 paralytic cases. Shortly after that peak, vaccines were developed that greatly reduced its spread. Today, few people in developed countries get polio, thanks to immunization efforts with polio vaccine.

But some people who had polio at a young age may experience certain late effects of the disease many years later, known as a condition called post-polio syndrome (PPS). The cause of post-polio syndrome is unknown, but research is beginning to yield a better understanding of this complex condition.

According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), post-polio syndrome affects about 25 percent to 50 percent of polio survivors, perhaps even more depending on how post-polio syndrome is defined.

Treatment focuses on managing the signs and symptoms associated with post-polio syndrome and improving quality of life.

NEXT:

Symptoms