Can polio affect you mentally?
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – People who had polio in childhood seem to be at somewhat increased risk of being hospitalized for a psychiatric disorder later in life, according to a Danish study. “Chronic and life-threatening diseases are known to be accompanied by increased risk of anxiety, depression, and suicide,” Dr.
Which signs are indicative of post-polio syndrome?
Symptoms
- Progressive muscle and joint weakness and pain.
- General fatigue and exhaustion with minimal activity.
- Muscle atrophy.
- Breathing or swallowing problems.
- Sleep-related breathing disorders, such as sleep apnea.
- Decreased tolerance of cold temperatures.
What part of the brain is affected by polio?
Autopsies in some polio patients have found damage to the brainstem and motor cortex as well as to spinal motor neurons. Alternatively, polio may have spared the motor cortex, but the cortex reorganized in different ways to compensate for the loss of spinal motor neurons.
What is PPS disease?
Post-polio syndrome (PPS) is a condition that can affect polio survivors decades after they recover from their initial poliovirus infection. Unlike poliovirus, PPS is not contagious.
Can post-polio syndrome cause depression?
Depression is common in people who have post-polio syndrome, as with many long-term illnesses. But it may be hard to recognize, because symptoms of fatigue, low energy, and sleep problems can occur with both conditions. If you think you may be depressed, talk to your doctor.
Can polio cause problems later in life?
Polio symptoms vary from mild flu-like symptoms to paralysis and possibly death. People who have had polio may experience effects later in life called the late effects of polio, when physical symptoms emerge 15 years or more after the first polio infection.
Is Post-polio an autoimmune disorder?
An inflammatory or autoimmune basis to post-polio syndrome has also been proposed. This hypothesis originates from post mortem observations of inflammatory changes in the spinal cord of PPS patients (35, 36). The role of inflammation is also supported by in vivo evidence.
What does post-polio feel like?
Post-polio syndrome (PPS) is a disorder of the nerves and muscles. It happens in some people many years after they have had polio. PPS may cause new muscle weakness that gets worse over time, pain in the muscles and joints, and tiredness. People with PPS often feel exhausted.
How is polio diagnosed?
How is polio diagnosed? A healthcare provider may diagnose polio by checking your stool or throat for poliovirus. He or she may also want to do a spinal tap (also called a lumbar puncture) to get a sample of your spinal fluid to examine.