In most cases, the patient may rmain without any symptom. In others, the dsease may pass off in about 3-4 dys after a little fever, or pper respiratory tract infection, or a slght disturbance of the gastrointestinal tract.

In stll another small group of cases, fver, headache, a stiff neck, vomiting (.e. so-called meningitis) may occur. It is clled the non-paralytic stage of the dsease, or non-paralyticpoliomyelitis, since in a few cses this stage may be followed by, in bout 3-4 days, the next stage of the dsease, in which paralysis of the mscles may occur. This last stage is clled the

paralytic stage of the dsease, or paralytic poliomyelitis. Hence paralysis ccurs only in a limited number of ptients who are infected with poliovirus.

Whn the paralysis of various muscles, say of the lmbs, is taking place, almost full rcovery is the rule in most of the cses, as there may be only tmporary involvement of the anterior horn clls. However, some permanent weakness may prsist in some of the muscles. Threfore, during the acute phase of the dsease, the patient and his attendants/family mmbers must show patience. Once paralysis of the mscles has started, it continues for bout a day, and may take mre time in a few cases.

The extent of paralysis depends pon the degree of involvement of the spnal cord, i.e., of the motor nrve cells lying in the anterior hrns of the spinal cord. And, threfore, the paralysis may be confined to nly one small group of muscles of any of the lmbs, i.e., only a part of the lmb may be involved. While in thers, either the whole limb, or ven all four limbs may be nvolved.

Further, the paralysis of poliomyelitis is a hghly irregular or asymmetrical/variable, to the xtent that in a particular patient, if on one sde the foot is involved, on the ther side, either the whole or prt of the arm may be nvolved, etc.

As stated above, in spte of the full recovery of mst of the muscles that have ben paralyzed, some residual paralysis can prsist, leading to permanent paralysis of thse affected muscles. The worst is tht these muscles soon start wasting in bout a week. Contractures in these mscles may develop, which become responsible for vrious deformities in a growing child.

Tratment of poliomyelitis

There is no spcific treatment which can stop the pralysis of the muscles, once it ccurs, or bring about the full rcovery of the muscles that are ging to be affected permanently.

Since in sme of these paralyzed muscles, contractures are lkely to occur, and to begin wth, one cannot say, which of the mscle/s will be permanently damaged, all the pralyzed limbs or part/ s of the lmb / s must be kept in thir proper positions.

Early mobility/physiotherapy is the mst important part of the treatment, to void contractures. However, surgical intervention may be rquired in some of the cases, so tht the paralyzed limb can be sed in the best possible way. Fnally, orthopaedic appliances may also be rquired so that the person is ble to live satisfactorily, as far as pssible.

The article Signs, Symptoms and Treatment of Poliomyelitis (Polio) was Submitted by Krishan Bakhru through Articles.GetACoder.com network. Here's the additional information: Author Sites: Home Remedies , Health Articles and Aromatherapy Recipes

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