Symptoms

People who had polio can develop Late Effects of Polio (LEoP) at any time, even years after their initial illness. But not everyone who had polio will experience these late effects.

Those who were more severely affected by polio, especially those individuals who suffered significant paralysis, will tend to be at a higher risk of developing symptoms.

The symptoms can vary widely and often appear long after the original infection. Often symptoms can be confusing or mistaken for other health problems. That’s why understanding LEoP, and Post-Polio Syndrome (PPS) is important for proper diagnosis and management.

Even though many people with polio go on to experience PPS, there still isn’t a full understanding of what causes it or how it progresses.

Individuals with the LEoP, including PPS may experience:

• Muscle and joint weakness and pain, that gets worse over time (typically hips and knees, shoulders and feet).
• Feeling easily fatigued and exhausted.
• Losing muscle tissue (atrophy)
• Abnormal walking patterns that affect balance, coordination, or mobility
• Issues with breathing, swallowing (known as dysphagia), or speaking
• Sleep-related breathing disorders, such as sleep apnoea.
• Decreased tolerance of hot and cold temperatures.
• Osteoporosis and osteoarthritis
• Physical problems like scoliosis (curved spine) or joint pain.