A polio infection causes symptoms and signs such as paralysis, limb deformities, and even death. There is no curative treatment for polio. Treatment focuses on pain control, bed rest, and physical therapy.
Read more: Polio ArticleMultimedia: Slideshows, Images & Quizzes
-
The 18 Most Expensive U.S. Medical Conditions
What are the most expensive medical conditions? Learn about heart conditions, brain disorders, back pain and many more expensive...
-
Travel Health Slideshow: 25 Ways to Stay Well Abroad
Explore travel health tips and vaccines to prevent disease while abroad. Learn to protect yourself against malaria, hepatitis,...
IMAGES
Polio See pictures of Bacterial Skin Conditions See ImagesRelated Disease Conditions
-
Inner Ear Infection
An inner ear infection or otitis interna is caused by viruses or bacteria and can occur in both adults and children. An inner ear infection can cause symptoms and signs, for example, a severe ear, dizziness, vertigo, nausea and vomiting, and vertigo. An inner ear infection also may cause inflammation of the inner ear or labyrinthitis. Inner ear infections are not contagious; however, the bacteria and viruses that cause the infection can be transmitted to other people. Good hygiene practices will help decrease the chances of the infection spreading to others. Inner ear infection symptoms and signs like ear pain and nausea may be relieved with home remedies or over-the-counter (OTC) medication. Some inner ear infections will need to be treated and cured with antibiotics or prescription pain or antinausea medication.
-
Muscle Spasms
Muscle spasms are involuntary muscle contractions that come on suddenly and are usually quite painful. Dehydration, doing strenuous exercise in a hot environment, prolonged muscle use, and certain diseases of the nervous system may cause muscle spasms. Symptoms and signs of a muscle spasm include an acute onset of pain and a possible bulge seen or felt beneath the skin where the muscle is located. Gently stretching the muscle usually resolves a muscle spasm.
-
Inner Ear Infection (Labyrinthitis)
Labyrinthitis occurs when there is inflammation of the part of the ear responsible for balance and hearing), usually due to viral infections of the inner ear. Learn about causes, symptoms, and treatment.
-
Headache
Headaches can be divided into two categories: primary headaches and secondary headaches. Migraine headaches, tension headaches, and cluster headaches are considered primary headaches. Secondary headaches are caused by disease. Headache symptoms vary with the headache type. Over-the-counter pain relievers provide short-term relief for most headaches.
-
Sore Throat
Sore throat (throat pain) usually is described as pain or discomfort in the throat area. A sore throat may be caused by bacterial infections, viral infections, toxins, irritants, trauma, or injury to the throat area. Common symptoms of a sore throat include a fever, cough, runny nose, hoarseness, earaches, sneezing, and body aches. Home remedies for a sore throat include warm soothing liquids and throat lozenges. OTC remedies for a sore throat include OTC pain relievers such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen. Antibiotics may be necessary for some cases of sore throat.
-
Chronic Cough
Chronic cough is a cough that does not go away and is generally a symptom of another disorder such as asthma, allergic rhinitis, sinus infection, cigarette smoking, GERD, postnasal drip, bronchitis, pneumonia, medications, and less frequently tumors or other lung disease. Chronic cough treatment is based on the cause, but may be soothed natural and home remedies.
-
Constipation
Constipation is defined medically as fewer than three stools per week and severe constipation as less than one stool per week. Constipation usually is caused by the slow movement of stool through the colon. There are many causes of constipation including medications, poor bowel habits, low-fiber diets, laxative abuse, and hormonal disorders, and diseases primarily of other parts of the body that also affect the colon.
-
Fatigue and Exhaustion
Fatigue can be described in various ways. Sometimes fatigue is described as feeling a lack of energy and motivation (both mental and physical). The causes of fatigue are generally related to a variety of conditions or diseases, for example, anemia, mono, medications, sleep problems, cancer, anxiety, heart disease, and drug abuse.Treatment of fatigue is generally directed toward the condition or disease that is causing the fatigue.
-
Fever
Although a fever technically is any body temperature above the normal of 98.6 F (37 C), in practice, a person is usually not considered to have a significant fever until the temperature is above 100.4 F (38 C). Fever is part of the body's own disease-fighting arsenal; rising body temperatures apparently are capable of killing off many disease-producing organisms.
-
Nausea and Vomiting
Nausea and vomiting are symptoms of many conditions including motion sickness, pregnancy, emotional stress, gallbladder disease, and other illnesses. Learn about causes, treatment, and when to be concerned.
-
Muscle Pain (Myofascial Pain Syndrome)
Muscle pain (myofascial pain syndrome) is muscle pain in the body's soft tissues due to injury or strain. Symptoms include muscle pain with tender points and fatigue. Treatment usually involves physical therapy, massage therapy, or trigger point injection.
-
Swallowing Problems (Dysphagia)
Dysphagia or difficulty in swallowing, swallowing problems. Dysphagia is due to problems in nerve or muscle control. It is common, for example, after a stroke. Dysphagia compromises nutrition and hydration and may lead to aspiration pneumonia and dehydration.
-
Children's Health
Children's health is focused on the well-being of children from conception through adolescence. There are many aspects of children's health, including growth and development, illnesses, injuries, behavior, mental illness, family health, and community health.
-
What Is Enterovirus (Non-Polio Enterovirus Infection)?
Non-polio enteroviruses cause a variety of infections, including aseptic meningitis, hand, foot, and mouth disease, herpangina, and the common cold. Symptoms and signs of enterovirus infection include hypoxia, eye pain, shortness of breath, chest pain, and fever. Treatment involves supportive care to reduce symptoms.
-
Post-Polio Syndrome
Post-polio syndrome (PPS) is a group of signs and symptoms that show up two to four decades after the initial polio infection. Symptoms of PPS include fatigue, pain, sleep disorders, muscle twitching, gastrointestinal problems, and weakness. Treatment focuses on slowing down to conserve energy and relieving symptoms with pain relievers.
-
Acute Flaccid Myelitis (AFM)
Acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) is a condition that affects the nervous system, causing weakening of the muscles and reflexes. Adenoviruses, poliovirus, non-polio enteroviruses, and West Nile virus can cause AFM. Symptoms and signs include drooping eyelids, difficulty swallowing and moving the eyes, facial weakness, and slurred speech. There is no treatment for acute flaccid myelitis.
-
Is There a Cure for Post-Polio Syndrome?
Presently, there are no medications to cure, stop or reverse the damage caused by the post-polio syndrome. However, the symptoms of the post-polio syndrome may be managed via a multipronged approach. This involves rehabilitation and lifestyle changes for the management of this condition.
-
Headaches in Children
Kids get headaches and migraines too. Many adults with headaches started having them as kids, in fact, 20% of adult headache sufferers say their headaches started before age 10, and 50% report their headaches started before age 20.
Treatment & Diagnosis
Medications & Supplements
Prevention & Wellness
- Polio Eradicated in Africa: WHO
- Oral Polio Vaccines Might Protect Against New Coronavirus: Experts
- New Polio Vaccine Promising in Early Test
- One Boy's Battle Back From Mysterious Polio-Like Illness
- Enterovirus Blamed for Polio-Like Acute Flaccid Myelitis in Kids
- Scientists Spot Signs of Virus Behind Disease Paralyzing Kids
- Freeze-Dried Vaccine May Help Rid World of Polio
- CDC Creates Task Force to Track Polio-Like Disease
- Cases of Polio-Like Condition Still Increasing: CDC
- CDC Warns of Polio-Like Virus Striking More U.S. Kids
- Brain Tumor Patients May Have Unlikely Ally: the Polio Virus
- Vaccination 101: Make Sure Kids Are Up to Date
- Time to Catch Up on Reading, Writing … and Routine Shots
- Just a Few Vaccine Refusers Could Endanger Many
- Immunizations for High Flyin' Travelers
- 17 Syrian Children Paralyzed by Polio
- Are Kids' Vaccines a Victim of Their Own Success?
- Congressional Group Gives Bipartisan Support to Vaccine Safety
- Common Virus May Have Ties to Type 1 Diabetes
- Polio Nearly Vanquished: CDC
- More Parents Believe Vaccines Are Unnecessary
- Child Paralysis Cases Spiked During Virus Outbreak: Study
- Start of School Year Calls for Vaccine Check
- Doctors Worry About Return of Vaccine-Preventable Ills in Kids
- Infectious-Disease Expert Debunks Common Vaccine Myths
- More Americans Support Vaccines: HealthDay/Harris Poll
- Vaccine Opponents Often Cluster in Communities
- Only 1 Child in Paralysis Outbreak Has Recovered
- 'Kids' Diseases' Now Hitting Adults
- The Salk Polio Vaccine: 'Greatest Public Health Experiment in History'
- A Lasting Legacy of Science
- The Salk Polio Vaccine: A Medical Miracle Turns 60
- The Man in the Iron Lung
- Two Polio Vaccines May Give Greater Protection Against Crippling Disease
- Researchers Assess New Way to Boost Polio Immunity
- Mysterious Polio-Like Illness Strikes Kids in California
- Whooping Cough Cases Rise as Parents Opt Out of Vaccine
- Modified Polio Virus May Help Fight Brain Tumors, Study Suggests
- Too Few Adults Get Recommended Vaccines: CDC
- Childhood Vaccine Schedule Is Safe, Report Says
- Research Suggests Possible Vaccine to Prevent Premature Birth
- More Kids Opting Out of School-Required Vaccinations: Study
- West Nile Up 35%, but CDC Says Peak Has Passed
- West Nile Death, Paralysis Toll Climbs
- Beyond Statistics: 2 Faces of West Nile Virus
- Are Kindergarten Kids Getting Their Vaccines?
- Vaccinations Belong on Parents' Back-to-School Checklists
- Combo Vaccine May Raise Babies' Risk for Fever-Caused Seizures
- Survey: Younger Doctors More Skeptical of Vaccines
- Needle-Free Shots Make Vaccines Less Scary
- CDC: Vaccination Rates for Toddlers Rising
- New Study May Aid Search for AIDS Vaccine
- West Nile Virus in 15 States
- New Insurance Rules: Free Preventive Health Care
- No Ill Effects When Kids Get Vaccines on Time
From 
Infectious Disease Resources
Featured Centers
Health Solutions From Our Sponsors
Subscribe to MedicineNet's General Health Newsletter
By clicking Submit, I agree to the MedicineNet's Terms & Conditions & Privacy Policy and understand that I may opt out of MedicineNet's subscriptions at any time.