INTRODUCTION:-

Post polio syndrome or the PPS is a neurologic disorder that produces a cluster of symptoms in individuals who had acute paralytic poliomyelitis usually 30 to 50 years earlier.

The syndrome itself can be hard to diagnose unless other musculoskeletal or neurologic components are present.

Risk Factors:

Several risk factors predispose to the development of PPS.

One is the severity of the polio and resulting paralysis, another is the age at onset of the poliomyelitis. Acute poliomyelitis in adolescents and adults is more severe than in infants and small children, and the former patients are more likely to develop PPS.

Another risk factor is the amount of recovery; the greater the recovery, the more likely PPS will occur, suggesting that reinnervation is unable to be maintained 30 to 40 years later. In those who do recover totally or partially, excessive exercise or overuse appears to predispose them to PPS.

Signs and symptoms:

• Progressive weakness
• Fatigue: the most prominent manifestation, occurring in up to 80% of patients
• pain of muscles and/or joints
• muscle atrophy
• breathing and swallowing difficulties
• sleep disorders
• cold intolerance
• Fasciculation and cramps without weakness
• muscle pseudo hypertrophy
• tingling Paresthesias
• psychological stresses

Possible etiology of the post-polio syndrome:

• Chronic poliovirus infection.
• Death of remaining motor neurons with normal aging, coupled with the previous loss from poliomyelitis.
• Genetic predisposition of motor neurons to both poliomyelitis and premature degeneration.
• Premature aging of cells permanently damaged by poliovirus.
• Premature aging of remaining normal motor neurons due to an increased metabolic demand (increased motor unit size after poliomyelitis).
• Poliomyelitis-induced vulnerability of motor neurons to secondary insults.

Treatment:-

• Medical problems.
• Respiratory insufficiency or failure: administer pneumovax and influenza vaccines, eliminate smoking, treat obstructive disease, assist ventilation.
• Treat secondary cardiac failure.
• Treat other complicating medical problems: anemia, thyroid disease, obesity, and others.
• Excessive fatigue.
• Institute energy conservation measures.
• Provide pharmacologic treatment: amantadine, pyridostigmine, amitriptyline, pemoline.
• Sleep disturbances.
• Support respiratory insufficiency.
• Treat sleep apnea.
• Musculoskeletal pain and joint instabilities.
• Decrease mechanical stress on joints and muscles with lifestyle changes: weight loss, decrease activities causing overwork, return to using assistive devices (including orthoses, wheelchairs, adaptive equipment).
• Prescribe anti-inflammatory medications, heat, massage.
• Evaluate and, infrequently, surgically repair orthopedic problems.
• Muscle weakness — stable or progressive.
• Avoid overwork of weakened muscle
• Decrease stress on muscles and joints.
• Institute stretching exercises.
• Prescribe no fatiguing (submaximal, short duration) strengthening exercises.

 

 

At Physioline, Post Polio Residual Paralysis is treated with “COMBINATION THERAPY“

The Combination Therapy of Physioline is known for increasing the life span and enhance the quality of life to maximum extent.