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 …
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What are the Symptoms in Patients with Post-Polio Syndrome with Facial Involvement?
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 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 …
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 …
Could Childhood Polio Cause an Old Injury to the Frontal Lobe?
Question: I recently came down with Bell’s Palsy. To rule out a stroke, I had an MRI. This showed some, what was thought to be, old injury. I don’t ever remember having any such thing. It is in the right front lobe. I had polio in 1949 at the age of 2, and I now have PPS. The polio affected …
Is There a Connection Between Weak Leg Muscles and Using Toes More to Walk?
Question: As my leg muscles become weaker, I notice that now I use my toes more than my whole foot when I walk. A polio friend of mine has made the same observation about his method of walking. Is this coincidence or is there a connection between weak leg muscles and using toes more to walk? GARY FREDERICKS Answer: The …
Shoulder Replacement in Polio Survivors.
Question: I have a severe rotator cuff tear and an orthopedic surgeon has recommended a shoulder replacement because of the severity of the tear and the presence of significant arthritis. I had polio in my right leg and use my left leg to lift/stabilize myself on crutches. Apparently the increased dependency has weakened my arms and, perhaps, injured them. The …
Do Those with Post-Polio Syndrome Need Higher Medication Doses?
Question: My father-in-law is 88 years old and has post-polio syndrome. He has had trouble sleeping for the past several years, and he claims that it “takes more medication for people with post-polio syndrome.” My wife is his caregiver and controls his medications so he will not overdose. What is your professional opinion? Answer: Your father-in-law is mistaken about need …
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