Polio

POLIO

Polio. Paralysis and flu-like symptoms are two symptoms of polio. The poliovirus, a bacterium that travels quickly from person to person, is the cause. Most individuals experience negligible or no symptoms. However, severe symptoms in some people might result in death or long-term health problems. Most of the world, including the United States, is free of polio. It hasn’t been totally eliminated, though. If vaccination rates decline, it may persist in some regions of the world and begin to spread once more.
Polio may be referred to as poliomyelitis when it results in paralysis or weakening.

POLIO

paralysis, brain inflammation, and flu-like symptoms are all possible outcomes of polio (poliomyelitis). The poliovirus is to blame for it. Some patients develop weakness or paralysis that lasts a lifetime, although the majority have either no symptoms or only minor ones. Nothing can be done to heal it. While wild poliovirus types 2 and 3 have been eliminated, type 1 is still prevalent in various regions of the world. The best method of polio prevention is vaccination.

Signs

The following are the most typical signs of polio:
Weariness and fever
A sore throat
Headache
Vomiting and feeling queasy
Either constipation or diarrhea
Pain in the stomach
A few days to weeks following the onset of flu-like symptoms, some people will experience severe symptoms. These might consist of:
stiffness in the neck
Your arms and legs may hurt or feel pins-and-needles (paresthesia).
A rather bad headache
Light sensitivity (photophobia)

Causes

Polio is caused by a virus called the poliovirus. It belongs to the enterovirus family. Flu-like symptoms are caused by poliovirus infections of the throat and intestines. It can occasionally extend to your spinal cord and brain. The muscles that move your limbs, breathe, speak, and swallow may become paralyzed as a result.

Treatment

No, there are no specific drugs to treat polio, and there is no known cure. Paralysis cannot be avoided, nor can it be accelerated.
Muscles that are weak or paralyzed may benefit from physical treatment. If your breathing muscles are weak or paralyzed, you will require mechanical ventilation, which is a breathing apparatus.

Prevention

Getting vaccinated is the best approach to lower your chance of contracting polio. Usually, this occurs in childhood. If you were not vaccinated as a child or are unsure, find out from your doctor what your alternatives are.
You can also lower your risk by:
Frequently washing your hands, particularly after using the restroom or changing your diapers
If you have diarrhea, avoid swimming, and if your children have just had diarrhea, don’t let them go.
If you live in a place without access to clean water, you can use bottled water for cooking and drinking.

Summary

Effective immunizations have prevented many of us from ever having to consider the terrible consequences of polio. However, public health agencies continue to strive for its eradication, even though it no longer spreads in the majority of the world. Anywhere in the world where polio is still prevalent, it has the potential to return and cause serious sickness. If you’re not sure whether you’re protected, especially if you’re visiting a place where polio is still a problem, ask your doctor.