Treatment of Poliomyelitis
When it comes to the treatment of Poliomyelitis there isn't much research available or even possible treatments. Rather there are more pain/symptom management options. Since there is no current cure for poliomyelitis
Poliomyelitis has been around for a very long time, as far back as B.C. during the Egyptians as hieroglyphs have been found to show withered legs. Since there was no cure for polio back then we can only assume the Egyptians treated it somehow. In more recent times such as the early 1900's people had casts administered to their limbs and placed on bed rest which immobilized their limbs and caused the withering to occur.
The people suffering from polio soon realized that even as time passed the battle was not quite over. Approximately 10 to 40 years post polio syndrome (PPS) would ravage their bodies. This wasn't polio recurring, but the result of the neurons that died off and now the messages are not able send messages back to the muscles. These people would find themselves back in horrible instances in which they are dependent upon wheelchairs, leg braces, and weakened bodies.
When it comes to the treatment of Poliomyelitis there isn't much research available or even possible treatments. Rather there are more pain/symptom management options. Since there is no current cure for poliomyelitis
Poliomyelitis has been around for a very long time, as far back as B.C. during the Egyptians as hieroglyphs have been found to show withered legs. Since there was no cure for polio back then we can only assume the Egyptians treated it somehow. In more recent times such as the early 1900's people had casts administered to their limbs and placed on bed rest which immobilized their limbs and caused the withering to occur.
The people suffering from polio soon realized that even as time passed the battle was not quite over. Approximately 10 to 40 years post polio syndrome (PPS) would ravage their bodies. This wasn't polio recurring, but the result of the neurons that died off and now the messages are not able send messages back to the muscles. These people would find themselves back in horrible instances in which they are dependent upon wheelchairs, leg braces, and weakened bodies.
Development of Vaccines
Now there is no real treatment or cures for poliomyelitis but, there are vaccines that were developed. In 1938, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, one of the worlds most famous victims of polio, founded the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis more commonly known as March of Dimes Foundation, the sole purpose of this organization is to raise awareness and fund the development of a cure or vaccine. The discovery of the vaccine was unveiled on April 12, 1955 after the hard work of 304,000 health care professionals, public health officials, and volunteers, along with 1,800,000 who took part in the clinical trial. This lead to Salk's vaccine which was made public in 1955. The vaccine consisted of an injected dose of inactivated poliovirus (IPV). The dead virus prompts and immunological response from the body that stimulates the production of antibodies.
Albert Bruce Sabin began testing a live, oral form of vaccine (OPV) due to some errors of the original Salk vaccine. The OPV contained a live virus that was weakened (attenuated). The Sabin OPV was available for use during the early 1960's. While both IPV and OPV vaccines are currently used around the world. Here in the United States, the Sabin OPV is used almost exclusively due to the ease of administration. Around the world in countries other than the United States, the preferred vaccine is the Salk IPV.
Now there is no real treatment or cures for poliomyelitis but, there are vaccines that were developed. In 1938, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, one of the worlds most famous victims of polio, founded the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis more commonly known as March of Dimes Foundation, the sole purpose of this organization is to raise awareness and fund the development of a cure or vaccine. The discovery of the vaccine was unveiled on April 12, 1955 after the hard work of 304,000 health care professionals, public health officials, and volunteers, along with 1,800,000 who took part in the clinical trial. This lead to Salk's vaccine which was made public in 1955. The vaccine consisted of an injected dose of inactivated poliovirus (IPV). The dead virus prompts and immunological response from the body that stimulates the production of antibodies.
Albert Bruce Sabin began testing a live, oral form of vaccine (OPV) due to some errors of the original Salk vaccine. The OPV contained a live virus that was weakened (attenuated). The Sabin OPV was available for use during the early 1960's. While both IPV and OPV vaccines are currently used around the world. Here in the United States, the Sabin OPV is used almost exclusively due to the ease of administration. Around the world in countries other than the United States, the preferred vaccine is the Salk IPV.
Bulbar Polio
Poliomyelitis not only affected the limbs of those affected but there was iron lung also known as bulbar polio (in the lungs) this placed pressure on the chest that occurred in an irregular pattern so a child could breath. However, bed rest, warm compresses, massage, and gradually exercising, in those that were able, proved to be the best form of treatment. The "iron lung" has been coined the phrase negative pressure ventilators. The would patient lay inside the tube with their head sticking out and a seal was placed to keep the pressure constant. The air was pumped out causing the chest to rise, drawing air into the lungs. The iron lung created a negative pressure vacuum that helped to expand the patients chest cavity and drew air in from the mouth and nose under negative pressure. |