Polio medical therapy

Revision as of 16:44, 10 October 2012 by Charmaine Patel (talk | contribs) (Created page with "__NOTOC__ {{Polio}} {{CMG}} Please help WikiDoc by adding more content here. It's easy! Click here to learn about editing. ==Overview== == Me...")
(diff) ← Older revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Polio Microchapters

Home

Patient Information

Overview

Historical Perspective

Classification

Pathophysiology

Causes

Poliovirus

Differentiating Polio from other Diseases

Epidemiology and Demographics

Risk Factors

Natural History, Complications and Prognosis

Diagnosis

History and Symptoms

Physical Examination

Laboratory Findings

Treatment

Medical Therapy

Prevention

Future or Investigational Therapies

Case Studies

Case #1

Polio medical therapy On the Web

Most recent articles

Most cited articles

Review articles

CME Programs

Powerpoint slides

Images

American Roentgen Ray Society Images of Polio medical therapy

All Images
X-rays
Echo & Ultrasound
CT Images
MRI

Ongoing Trials at Clinical Trials.gov

US National Guidelines Clearinghouse

NICE Guidance

FDA on Polio medical therapy

CDC on Polio medical therapy

Polio medical therapy in the news

Blogs on Polio medical therapy

Directions to Hospitals Treating Polio

Risk calculators and risk factors for Polio medical therapy

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

Please help WikiDoc by adding more content here. It's easy! Click here to learn about editing.

Overview

Medical Therapy

A modern negative pressure ventilator (iron lung)

No cure for polio exists, and the focus of modern polio treatment has been on increasing comfort, speeding recovery and preventing complications. Supportive measures include: antibiotics to prevent infections in weakened muscles, analgesics for pain, moderate exercise and a nutritious diet. Treatment of polio also often requires long-term rehabilitation including physical therapy, braces, corrective shoes and, in some cases, orthopedic surgery.

Portable ventilators may be required to support breathing. Historically, a noninvasive negative-pressure ventilator (more commonly called an iron lung) was used to artificially maintain respiration during an acute polio infection until a person could breathe independently; generally about one to two weeks. Today many polio survivors with permanent respiratory paralysis use modern jacket-type negative-pressure ventilators that are worn over the chest and abdomen.

Other historical treatments for polio have included hydrotherapy, electrotherapy and surgical treatments such as tendon lengthening and nerve grafting. The use of devices such as rigid braces and body casts—which tended to cause muscle atrophy due to the limited movement of the user—were also touted as effective treatments. Massage, passive motion exercises, and vitamin C were also used to treat polio victims, with varying degrees of success.

References