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WHAT IS POST POLIO SYNDROME

Post Polio Syndrome is a poorly understood condition that can affect people who have had polio in the past.

Polio is a viral infection that used to be common in the UK, but is now rare.

Most people who had Polio would have fought off the infection without even realising they were infected.

Some people with Polio would have had paralysis, muscle weakness and shrinking of the muscles. But usually, these problems would have either gone away over the following weeks or months, or remained the same for years afterwards.

Post Polio Syndrome is where some of these symptoms return or get worse many years or decades after the original polio infection.

SYMPTOMS OF POST POLIO SYNDROME

Post Polio Syndrome can include a wide range of symptoms that develop gradually over time, including:

persistent fatigue (extreme tiredness)
muscle weakness
shrinking muscles
muscle and joint pain
sleep apnoea

The condition can have a significant impact on everyday life, making it very difficult to get around and carry out certain tasks and activities. The symptoms tend to get gradually worse over many years, but this happens very slowly and treatment may help slow it down further.

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.

WHO'S AFFECTED

Post Polio Syndrome only affects people who've had polio. It usually develops 15 to 40 years after the infection.

The condition has become more common in the UK in recent years, because of the high number of Polio cases that occurred during the 1940s and 1950s, before routine vaccination was introduced. It's estimated that there are around 120,000 people living in the UK who survived Polio when they were younger. Some of these have, or will develop, Post Polio Syndrome.

It's not known exactly how many Polio survivors are or will be affected by Post Polio Syndrome. Estimates vary from as low as 15% to as high as 80%.

WHAT CAUSES POST-POLIO SYNDROME?

The exact cause of post Polio Syndrome is unclear. It's not known whether anything can be done to prevent it.

The leading theory is that it's the result of the gradual deterioration of nerve cells in the spinal cord (motor neurones) that were damaged by the Polio virus. This would explain why the condition can take years to appear.

Post Polio Syndrome isn't contagious. The theory that the Polio virus may lie dormant in your body, causing Post Polio Syndrome when it becomes reactivated at a later stage, has been disproven.

It's not clear why only some people who've had polio develop Post Polio Syndrome. Those who had severe Polio when they were younger may be more likely to develop the condition.

Contacts us: 0800 043 1935
Email us: info@britishpolio.org.uk

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The British Polio Fellowship
- Aug 16, 2023
- 2 min read

BPF members appear on Channel 4's Unique Boutique

Unique Boutique is a new four-part Channel 4 show in which fashion experts design and create bespoke outfits for those traditionally excluded from the mainstream fashion industry.

It was a year ago the Fellowship was approached for applications to take part in the Unique Boutique series. It shared the details with its members and two of its polio community took on the challenge and were successful. Geraldine Williams, from South London appeared in episode 2 of the series, which aired on Monday 31 July at 11:00pm. She contracted polio as a child and saw both her sister and cousin asked to be bridesmaids, but she wasn’t allowed to be one because of her limp.

After getting engaged, Geraldine dreamed of feeling beautiful and comfortable on her wedding day. She asked the show to design her a vintage dress with supportive, pretty shoes. They did exactly that, and she looked amazing. Ambassador and great supporter of the Fellowship, the late Colin Powell featured in the final episode of the series on Monday 14 August at 11:05pm. By his side was Dawn Grafetsberger, the Fellowship’s Finance and Office Manager.

Colin asked for the team to design a suit that would fit him and be comfortable. Not only did Colin get the suit of his dreams, the team also produced a matching shirt. It was during the filming of the programme that Colin proposed to Dawn and she accepted.

Sadly Colin passed away in January this year. He never did get to see the episode he had filmed or to wear his suit, which he planned to enjoy on his wedding day.

You can watch all episodes of the Unique Boutique now on Channel 4 website: https://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-unique-boutique

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