Post-polio syndrome (PPS) is a condition that causes gradual muscle weakness decades after a polio infection. Other symptoms include fatigue, sore muscles, trouble concentrating and sleep disturbances. Polio is a contagious illness that can cause muscle weakness and paralysis. Treatment for PPS focuses on managing symptoms.
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Post-polio syndrome (PPS) is a motor neuron disease that causes new muscle weakness years after recovering from polio. Polio is a contagious illness that causes mild symptoms for most people. But it can sometimes cause muscle weakness or paralysis.
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Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy
After recovery, muscle weakness can develop or come back. This can be 10 to 40 years later. It slowly gets worse over time.
Post-polio syndrome isn’t a new polio infection and doesn’t spread to other people. Polio is preventable with a vaccine.
Post-polio syndrome most commonly causes weakness in the muscles that were affected when you had polio. Sometimes, new areas are affected.
Symptoms include:
Healthcare providers aren’t sure why post-polio syndrome happens. It’s more likely to happen if you had muscle weakness or paralysis when you had polio. It’s possible that nearby nerves helped take over the work of damaged ones during the initial polio infection. Eventually, those nerves become damaged and weakened, too.
Complications of muscle weakness from PPS include:
There aren’t any specific tests that diagnose post-polio syndrome. Let your healthcare provider know if you had polio in the past and what the symptoms were. They’ll rule out other conditions that could cause your symptoms, like other motor neuron diseases.
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Tests your provider may use to make a diagnosis include:
Treatments focus on managing symptoms and improving quality of life. They may include:
See a healthcare provider if you have muscle weakness or other symptoms of PPS. If you’ve been diagnosed with PPS, follow up with your care team regularly. Let them know how treatment is going and if you feel like you need to make adjustments.
Post-polio syndrome is different for everyone. It depends on which muscles are affected. The muscle weakness tends to get progressively worse over time.
You might need to make adjustments to your home or use devices that help you get around. You also may need to rest more often. Certain types of physical activity and medications may help ease symptoms.
Post-polio syndrome usually isn’t life-threatening. It most likely won’t affect your life expectancy.
Many people think of polio as a worry of the past. In fact, most people in the U.S. today have never gotten polio, thanks to effective vaccines. But the effects of polio infections still linger today.
Post-polio syndrome can leave you with little energy and make it tough to get around. You can’t make it go away completely. But working closely with your care team might improve your symptoms and quality of life.
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