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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 17, 2020
- 1 min read

Lock Down Diaries - Wales

Here in North Wales lockdown began early because we were flooded in for three weeks. Listening to the media and reading papers I was surprised not to be contacted by Social Services or local council. I’m surprised that Polio isn’t considered a vulnerable disease even though a lot of us need night time ventilation. This year was going to be a special one for me, my 75th birthday combines with VE celebrations, plus it’s my 75th Polio birthday in November.

Lockdown hasn’t been too bad, my children have made sure I have food etc. A neighbour walks my dog and checks I’m ok. One of my helpers is still coming in so I’ll be clean and sweet smelling.

I’m lucky I can fill my time with craft work, I like to keep on top of the news and look forward and plan events. Mentally I’m finding different, it’s stirred up memories that I never knew existed, reading of visitors being banned from hospitals and homes has disturbed me, I don’t think I have ever recovered from being separated from my family in hospital and in Boarding School. It also makes me worry about the future, my muscles are getting very weak, will there be a time when I can’t cope, would I have the courage to go to Switzerland. At present I’m fortunate, I have a comfy home, garden can do what I like when I like.

It’s about time the BPF made its voice heard, there seems to be many similarities between Covid 19 and the Polio virus.

Joan Deverell

Wales

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