Question: I am 66, had polio in 1951 or ‘52, and to my knowledge the only part of my body impacted was my left leg with paralysis in the quadriceps. I have always been physically active. Even now, I exercise four to five days a week and play golf when weather permits. I wore a brace – KFO – in …
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How Should I Manage Lymphedema in my Polio Leg?
Question: After several weeks when my polio-affected right leg began to swell, beginning at the foot and now up into the knee, a vascular physician diagnosed the condition as lymphedema and referred me to physical therapy. The swelling decreases only slightly after sleeping all night, even with my legs elevated. My ability to exercise (walk) is not practical having great …
Exercise and Pain
Question: As a young kid I contracted polio in my right leg. Apparently it was a mild case because I had no noticeable effects until my late 40s or 50s. At that time, I experienced right leg pain if I had not exercised for several days or about a week. If I exercised moderately then I had no pain. If …
Tips for Dealing with Cold Intolerance in One’s Leg
Question: I had non-paralytic polio in 1949 when I was 2. I now wear two leg braces; one on my polio leg for drop foot and the other one on my left leg because I started dragging that foot. My right leg is always very cold to the touch even though it never feels cold to me unless I touch …
Facial Nerve Involvement and Polio
Question: What are the symptoms in patients with post-polio syndrome with facial involvement? I am a PT with facial nerve involvement due to polio. Answer: Regarding facial nerve involvement after poliomyelitis: It is not common but also not rare. I have seen well over a dozen patients with significant one-sided facial weakness secondary to polio. I have not seen anyone …
Is There Any Difference in PPS Symptoms in Patients that Contracted the Disease through the Vaccine Versus Wild Polio? / Can Polio Cause GI Issues?
Question: I had polio at age 5 in 1968 apparently contracted from the oral polio vaccine. The acute illness lasted about a month, then a slow recovery ensued (upper and lower right limb involvement) that took about a year. Is there any difference between PPS symptoms in patients who have contracted the disease through vaccine and those who contracted it …
Are There Any New Medicines That Can Improve Muscle Functioning in Those with Post-Polio Syndrome?
Question: I am a 61-year-old female who has recently been diagnosed with post-polio syndrome. I am looking for the latest research on improving muscle function in the affected limb. Are there new medicines that can improve muscle functioning? Answer: Research studies have demonstrated that muscle strength and endurance can be improved among polio survivors, even those diagnosed with PPS, through …
Have Studies Been Done to Determine if Polio Affects Sexual Functioning?
Question: Have any studies been done to determine if polio affects sexual functioning? Answer: I am unaware of any medical studies of sexual function in polio survivors. Conventional medical opinion is that polio did not affect sexual functioning of survivors, and the history of normal potency in men who have had polio and fertility among women polio survivors would support …
Will a Viral Infection Take Longer to Clear Up in Those with Post-Polio Syndrome?
Question: I have post-polio syndrome, and I have also been diagnosed with a viral infection. Will the viral infection take longer to clear up since I have post-polio syndrome? Answer: Recovery time after viral infections in polio survivors has not been studied. There is no reason to expect that the basic healing mechanisms of the body are altered as a …
I’m Dating a Polio Survivor. What Should I Expect our Future to Look Like?
Question: I am dating a woman who had polio, but if you didn’t know it, you could not tell it. We are both in our late 20s and I am very interested in her. I have heard about post-polio syndrome and am wondering what I may expect in our future years if I marry her. Dr. Maynard’s response: People with …