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A member asked:
What causes muscle weakness in polio?
6 doctors weighed in across 2 answers
See below: The polio virus attacks the nerves in the spinal cord that supply the muscles. Called motor nerves. Polio does not affect the nerves that deal with sensation. When the nerves die due to the polio virus, the muscles tend to wither and that is what causes the weakness. Post polio syndrome can occur 30-40 years later with new symptoms of weakness and fatigue. It is not a reactivation of the virus.
Answered 5/7/2014
5.9k views
Affects spinal cord: Polio affects the motor nerve cells in the spinal cord. When these nerve cells die, that reduces the messages that can be sent to muscles.
Answered 6/4/2015
2.7k views
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