Symptoms of Post-Polio Syndrome
The most common and usually the first sign of post-polio syndrome is gradual new weakening in the muscles that were previously affected when you had polio.
The severity of symptoms vary for different people. Symptoms include:
- Pain and weakness in the joint and pain that gets worse over time
- Feeling easily fatigued and exhausted
- Losing muscle tissue (atrophy)
- Problems with breathing or swallowing, usually if the muscles that involve these functions are affected.
- Sleep-related breathing disorders, such as sleep apnea
- Decreased tolerance of cold temperatures
Post-polio syndrome progresses slowly in most people. They may experience some new signs and symptoms followed by periods of stability.
Severe cases of PPS can be mistaken for symptoms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) [2], but it’s not a form of that condition.