Child Health • Neurology • Rehabilitation • Ayurveda
Poliomyelitis (Polio)
Polio is a viral infection that can paralyse muscles, mostly in young children. India was certified polio-free in
2014 thanks to mass vaccination — but the virus still circulates in a few countries, so every child must still be
fully vaccinated. For the many adults living with the effects of childhood polio, rehabilitation and supportive
Ayurvedic care can help maintain strength and comfort.
What is polio?
Poliomyelitis is caused by the poliovirus, which spreads mainly through contaminated food and water and
unwashed hands (the faecal–oral route). The virus multiplies in the gut. In a small fraction of infections it
reaches the spinal cord and destroys the nerve cells that control muscles, causing sudden, floppy
(acute flaccid) paralysis — usually of the legs, and permanent in many cases. There is no medicine that
cures polio once paralysis has occurred; prevention is everything.
India reported its last case caused by wild poliovirus in January 2011, and the WHO South-East Asia Region was
certified polio-free in March 2014.
Ayurvedic support for a serious illness should be planned together with your specialist team — tell every doctor about every medicine and herb you take.
Symptoms
About 7 in 10 infected people have no symptoms but can still spread the virus.
About 1 in 4 have a flu-like illness — fever, sore throat, tiredness, headache, stomach upset — that settles within a week.
A smaller number develop meningitis — neck and back stiffness, severe headache.
Fewer than 1 in 100 develop paralysis: sudden weakness of one or more limbs without loss of sensation. If the breathing or swallowing muscles are affected, it can be fatal.
Prevention: vaccination
Give every child every dose on India's Universal Immunisation Programme schedule — oral polio vaccine (OPV) at
birth, 6, 10 and 14 weeks and at 16–24 months, plus injectable polio vaccine (fIPV) doses — and
the extra drops offered during Pulse Polio campaigns. Extra doses are safe.
All routine vaccines are free at government health centres and anganwadis.
Missed a dose? It is never too late to catch up — ask your paediatrician.
Adults travelling to or from countries where polio still circulates may need a booster.
Safe drinking water, toilets and handwashing further reduce spread of polio and other gut infections.
Post-polio syndrome
Years or decades after recovering from polio, some survivors notice new problems. This is called
post-polio syndrome and is thought to result from the long-term overuse of the nerve cells that
survived the original infection. It is not contagious and is not a new infection.
New weakness in muscles that were affected — or that seemed unaffected — before
Overwhelming tiredness after little effort, and muscle or joint pain
Muscle wasting, cold intolerance, and sometimes breathing, swallowing or sleep problems
Management focuses on pacing — balancing activity with rest — plus tailored physiotherapy,
orthoses (braces, callipers) or mobility aids, weight control and treatment of pain and sleep problems.
Ayurvedic view
Support, don't promise a cure: pacify Vata → nourish muscles (Mamsa) and nerves (Majja) → preserve strength and mobility.
Polio has no exact equivalent in the classical texts. Its late effects — wasting, weakness and stiffness of the
limbs — are managed on the principles of Vata vyadhi (disorders of Vata). Ayurvedic physicians
commonly use regular medicated oil massage (abhyanga) with oils such as Mahanarayana taila or
Bala taila, herbal steam (swedana), Shashtika shali pinda sweda (massage with a warm
bolus of rice cooked in milk and herbs) and nourishing herbs like Ashwagandha and Bala. These can
ease stiffness, pain and fatigue, and combine well with physiotherapy. They cannot regrow lost nerve cells.
Living with polio
Stop before you are exhausted — “use it but don't abuse it.” Plan rest breaks through the day.
Gentle, non-fatiguing exercise such as swimming or water therapy helps maintain strength.
Keep a healthy weight to reduce load on weak muscles and joints.
Review braces, footwear and mobility aids with an orthotist every few years.
Keep warm — cold makes weak muscles work less well.
Tell anaesthetists about your polio history before any surgery.
Ask about disability certification (UDID card) to access government support and concessions.
When to seek care
Any child with sudden weakness or floppiness of an arm or leg must be seen by a doctor the same day. Every such case is investigated under India's acute flaccid paralysis surveillance.
Polio survivors: new breathlessness, difficulty swallowing or choking, or morning headaches (a sign of breathing problems during sleep)
Rapidly increasing weakness, or frequent falls
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