Nancy Baldwin Carter, BA, M Ed Psych, Omaha, Nebraska, is a polio survivor, a writer, and is founder and former director of Nebraska Polio Survivors Association. It got their attention—our friend Mac wheeling along in his power chair, lugging three two-by-fours and a standard toilet stool into the City Council meeting. He’d been there before, our friend Mac, and had …
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Shingles Vaccine Experience among the Survivors of Polio (2013)
Frederick M. Maynard, Chair, PHI Medical Advisory Committee, Marquette, Michigan Members of PHI concerned that polio survivors might have abnormalities of the immune system questioned if taking the vaccine would either increase the risk of complications or make them less effective. In early 2013 PHI distributed a six question survey through its PHI Membership Memo, website (post-polio.org) and Facebook. The PHI …
Post-Polio Medical Care: Post-Polio Specialists and Primary Care Physicians
Joan L. Headley, Executive Director, Post-Polio Health International Post-Polio Health International created a survey asking polio survivors about their post-polio medical care. The survey, Post-Polio Medical Care: Post-Polio Specialists and Primary Care Physicians, was posted online and a version was also published in Post-Polio Health (Volume 30, Number 2). Data was gathered from 632 people; 496 completed the survey online and 136 copies …
Yoga Benefits Polio Survivor
Alan Fiala, PhD (deceased), Falls Church, Virginia Yoga has provided benefits to me in improving breathing, maintaining flexibility, improving balance and reducing stress. I have post-polio syndrome with loss of muscle strength, and I do not seek to gain strength from yoga. I do have pulmonary problems, and the development of good breathing habits from yoga practice has noticeably improved …
Aging with Post-Polio Syndrome and Sleep Problems
Researchers at the University of Washington’s Aging Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (2009) One of the first things that people notice as they grow older is a change in their sleeping patterns. The older they get, the less they sleep; or they just feel less rested when they wake up. Most people are not sure why they do not feel …
Aging Well with Post-Polio Syndrome: Addressing Physical Reasons for Sleep Problems
Researchers at the University of Washington’s Aging Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (2009) Getting a better sleep may not always happen overnight, but if your sleep problems are due to medical issues, there are ways you can manage them. Many medical problems can disrupt sleep in people with post-polio syndrome, such as breathing problems, so treating them is a first …
Aging Well with Post-Polio Syndrome: Dealing with Pain
Researchers at the University of Washington’s Aging Rehabilitation Research and Training Center Chronic pain is something that many people, including many individuals with post-polio syndrome (PPS), face on a day-today basis. In fact, from the preliminary results of our recent survey of post-polio people, we found that 373 out of 419, or 89 percent, reported at least some daily pain. …
Sarcopenia and Post-Polio Muscle Atrophy
Frederick Maynard, MD, retired physiatrist Sarcopenia is a descriptive term for reduced muscle mass and is observed in aging people. While there is undoubtedly a “genetic programming” component to age-related sarcopenia, much of it is related to the reduced activity levels that are common among older people for many reasons and that result in disuse atrophy of muscle. There is …
Pain and the Pain Patch
Frederick Maynard, MD, retired physiatrist Pain control in people with postpolio problems is highly individualized because there is no one source of pain. I would NOT endorse the use of a Duragesic patch (fentanyl transdermal system) for long-existing pain in a person with PPS because I think it is a “dead end” in regard to long lasting relief from pain. …
Aging Well with Post-Polio Syndrome: Don’t Take Fatigue Lying Down
Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (RRTC) on Aging with a Physical Disability (2011) Fatigue is a major problem for many people with post-polio syndrome (PPS), one that is frustrating and hard to measure. It’s a symptom that can affect your ability to work, your mobility and your quality of life. People with PPS report fatigue as their most persistent and …