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Polio survivors who had been stable for 20 to 40 years might have thought the worst was over. Unfortunately, some 70 percent of polio survivors develop postpolio syndrome -- weakness in previously unaffected muscles. Other symptoms include fatigue, pain, swallowing problems, breathing problems, and cold intolerance. The cause of postpolio syndrome isn't clear -- it may be due to normal muscle loss that accompanies aging, or to repeated compensatory use of unaffected, good muscles. Postpolio syndrome can be devastating for people who have worked hard to overcome their initial polio and come to terms with lingering disabilities. Unfortunately, the medical system, due to lack of training about postpolio syndrome, often attributes the symptoms to other conditions or dismisses the symptoms as normal aging.
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