Illness is a very distressing phenomenon to each and every person. Being incurable disease even worsens the situation further. Incurable diseases are few and polio virus disease is one such rare illness. It is very distressing and disabling. The sad truth is that even some of those who survive this illness are faced with other related health conditions later in life. Fifteen years after suffering from poliomyelitis, one is likely to suffer from another illness named as post polio syndrome as post-polio blog posts call it.
Signs and or symptoms do occur several years after an attack. These signs usually resemble those of initial infection and include muscle wasting, pain, weakness and fatigue. Limbs are more affected than other body structures. Such symptoms may be evident in limbs which were initially spared by the disease. This condition is a progressive one and may greatly impair ability to perform activities of daily living like sleeping.
The means by which this disease manifests its symptoms and signs are not well documented. All that is available regarding this are theories which are thought to be the truth. Such theories abound but one that is most acceptable is neural fatigue. It tries to clarify that initial polio infection leads to death of several nerve cells. Following these deaths, remaining nerve cells takes over the role of dead ones by increasing their terminals. This becomes unsustainable at some point leading to recurrence of polio like symptoms thereafter.
Diagnosis is a key feature in patient care. Wrong diagnosis means wrong treatment and consequently mismanagement. For this illness, no lab test is available to confirm diagnosis. The only available diagnostic measure is history. A clear history leading to diagnosis indicates previous infection with polio virus, long time lapse from initial time of infection and eventually gradual onset of muscle weakness.
Several symptomatic management options exist. They serve to eliminate distressing features experienced by patient as pain but not to cure the primary illness. There is no clear curative regime available to manage this disease. Adequate rest, pain control and fatigue control are but a few care modalities available. Drugs may also be used alongside treatment options available.
Of all the symptoms, fatigue is the most conspicuous and very distressing symptom. Nearly all persons with this syndrome complain of fatigue. They points out fatigue as one most undesired feature. To effectively handle this feature, a number of options are employed. These include fatigue medication, weight reduction, workload reduction as well as change of life style.
Prognosis is generally good and most patients recover completely from their illness. Actually, majority of victims fully recover to their previous state of health. However, a few persons experience devastating life changing events in which a permanent disability results. Others succumb to their illness and pass on. All the same, three quarters of victims survive and return to normal life.
Even though there is no definite treatment for this disease, it is possible to control its symptoms and signs effectively. This is a nice way of preventing permanent disability and relieving one of distress. Let all affected persons be assisted as this is the only sure way of manning this illness.
Signs and or symptoms do occur several years after an attack. These signs usually resemble those of initial infection and include muscle wasting, pain, weakness and fatigue. Limbs are more affected than other body structures. Such symptoms may be evident in limbs which were initially spared by the disease. This condition is a progressive one and may greatly impair ability to perform activities of daily living like sleeping.
The means by which this disease manifests its symptoms and signs are not well documented. All that is available regarding this are theories which are thought to be the truth. Such theories abound but one that is most acceptable is neural fatigue. It tries to clarify that initial polio infection leads to death of several nerve cells. Following these deaths, remaining nerve cells takes over the role of dead ones by increasing their terminals. This becomes unsustainable at some point leading to recurrence of polio like symptoms thereafter.
Diagnosis is a key feature in patient care. Wrong diagnosis means wrong treatment and consequently mismanagement. For this illness, no lab test is available to confirm diagnosis. The only available diagnostic measure is history. A clear history leading to diagnosis indicates previous infection with polio virus, long time lapse from initial time of infection and eventually gradual onset of muscle weakness.
Several symptomatic management options exist. They serve to eliminate distressing features experienced by patient as pain but not to cure the primary illness. There is no clear curative regime available to manage this disease. Adequate rest, pain control and fatigue control are but a few care modalities available. Drugs may also be used alongside treatment options available.
Of all the symptoms, fatigue is the most conspicuous and very distressing symptom. Nearly all persons with this syndrome complain of fatigue. They points out fatigue as one most undesired feature. To effectively handle this feature, a number of options are employed. These include fatigue medication, weight reduction, workload reduction as well as change of life style.
Prognosis is generally good and most patients recover completely from their illness. Actually, majority of victims fully recover to their previous state of health. However, a few persons experience devastating life changing events in which a permanent disability results. Others succumb to their illness and pass on. All the same, three quarters of victims survive and return to normal life.
Even though there is no definite treatment for this disease, it is possible to control its symptoms and signs effectively. This is a nice way of preventing permanent disability and relieving one of distress. Let all affected persons be assisted as this is the only sure way of manning this illness.
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