Post-polio syndrome
If you’ve had polio once before it is possible for it to come back even after you fully recover from it. This happens usually after 15 to 40 years. Common symptoms of post-polio syndrome (PPS) are:
- Constant muscle and joint weakness
- Severe muscle pain that only gets worse
- Becoming easily exhausted or fatigued
- Muscle wasting, also called muscle atrophy
- Difficulty breathing and swallowing
- Sleep apnea [5], or sleep-related breathing problems
- Low tolerance of cold temperatures
- New onset of weakness in previously uninvolved muscles
- Depression [6]
- Finding it difficult to concentrate and trouble with your memory
If you’ve had polio in the past, it is important that you pay attention to your symptoms and immediately visit your doctor if you start to see any of these symptoms. It’s estimated that 25 to 50 percent of people who survived polio will get PPS. Post-polio syndrome can’t be caught by others having this disorder; it comes on its own. Specific treatment for Pps involves management strategies to improve your quality of life and reduce pain or fatigue.