Question: Do you know of any polio survivors who are experiencing numbness in their affected areas? I did some physical therapy recently for about six weeks using both sides of my body to improve the strength in my unaffected leg, and noticed that my left arm (the affected side) was becoming numb and then later in the day, my left …
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Could the Late Effects of Polio Cause Leg Swelling?
Question: I had polio in 1940. With treatment and exercise I was able to live a “normal” life and taught school for many years. At age 50, I started having new weakness. I am now 79 and my legs have shown greater weakness. I wear a full brace on my left leg and a short brace on my right leg. …
Ankle Fusion for Polio Survivor
Question: Thank you for the help you have given me in the past. I’m a 79-year-old male who developed polio at the age of four. I was in an iron lung for several weeks then treated at home with Sister Kenny’s hot baths and massage. My left leg was paralyzed but improved over the years to a point that I …
Cautionary Tale of Swallowing Impairment and Intubation
Question: My wife contracted polio at the age of eight. She experienced some paralysis on her right side, but with physical therapy and some bone grafts to strengthen her right leg, she made a good recovery. She is now 75 and has been experiencing some post-polio symptoms, notably general weakness, instability and some falls. She has had some difficulty swallowing …
What is a Bisphosphonate Infusion and Is It Safe?
Question: I am 74 years old and had polio in 1954. My recent DEXA scan (to measure bone density) showed I had osteopenia. I have also recently suffered two compression fractures in my L1 and L2 vertebra due to an automobile accident in which I drove off the road over very bumpy terrain. My longtime physician, who is familiar with …
Would a Breast Reduction or Reduction of Abdominal Fat be Beneficial for Back Spasm Episodes?
Question: I had polio in 1948, and I am now 65. Adapting was less difficult due to the helpful information gathered at support group meetings. However, I am not finding information or answers that address this issue: Has breast reduction and surgical reduction of abdominal fat been suggested and utilized with other post-polio women? While remaining relatively active and napping …
Triple Arthrodesis in Polio Survivors
Question: I had a triple arthrodesis in my teens to correct a turned ankle tendency. The cartilage is gone, and when I walk my ankle bones grind. Is this a problem? What could be done to help? I am 78 years old and in good health. Answer from Marny Eulberg, MD: Many polio survivors have had triple arthrodesis surgeries on …
Is There Any Difference in PPS Symptoms in Patients that Contracted the Disease Through the Vaccine Versus Naturally?
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 …
Does PPS Cause Muscle Loss Later in Life or is Atrophy Caused by the Initial Polio Attack?
Question: Does PPS cause muscle loss later in life or is atrophy caused by the initial polio attack? Answer: Dr. Maynard: Initial polio infection damage to nerves may result in a muscle’s atrophy (smaller or shrunken size) if a sufficiently large percent of nerves to an individual muscle died off. However, further dying off of damaged but not dead nerve …
Explaining Post-Polio Syndrome
Question: I am looking for an article that explains post-polio syndrome. The significance of finding the right article is being able to convey the information to my Uncle Phillip’s verbally abusive 35-year-old son who thinks his dad is “not trying hard enough,” and his nagging wife who is always trying to force him into physically demanding activities. He goes to …