Post Polio Syndrome

[ianess]

Does this really exist or are what`s being put forward as symptoms in reality only part of the ageing process?

Any comments most welcome.

[woofgang]

no, it exists, tests can show deterioration of the nerve fibres

[ianess]

Thanks for the answer woofgang, but as a survivor of the 1950 outbreak I tend to be a bit cynical about these sort of claims.....there seems to be a new `syndrome` appearing every second day.

If you [or anyone else] can elaborate I`d be very interested.

[soonny]

Hello ianess,

A late neurologic syndrome can develop in patients affected by poliomyelitis who had been stable for many years, (25 - 35 years) and this is known as post polio syndrome. it is usually charaterized as progressive weakness associated with decreased muscle mass and pain.

Post Polio Syndrome (PPS) is caused by the death of individual nerve terminals in the motor units (nerves that controls muscle contractions) that remain after the initial polio attack. The only way to be sure a person has PPS is through a neurological examination for example, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), neuroimaging, electrophysiological studies, and muscle biopsies (a biopsy is where a specimen of your cells are taken and placed under a microscope for observation) or spinal fluid analysis.

I hope this helps! :) You've fought a terrible war with the disease, good job!

[WobblyWoo]

I am no doctor, but have seen a deterioration in my mother who survived polio in the 1930's. After childhood operations, she led an active, and quite physical life until her late 40's. The decline has been gradual since then, and she certainly ties in with the weakness and fatigue that I have read about in PPS, and also increased pain. She has been completely wheelchair bound since around the age of 70 and is now very weak in all areas.