Polio Treatment In India To Regain Muscular Strength
Orthopaedic surgery is indeed a good option for deformity correction. However, along with deformity correction, you must have muscular strength to live a normal life.
In the absence of muscular strength, you feel easily fatigued, you find it difficult to climb stairs, and lifting heavy objects would remain the challenge.
You can overcome these challenges by Polio treatment to regain muscular strength in India. This treatment is good for those who have done deformity correction and are struggling to regain muscular strength and also for those who have not done anything yet.
Stem cell therapy for treating polio can resolve neuromuscular issues. With the help of stem cell therapy, new nerve cells, cartilage, bones, and muscles develop which can help to normalise your daily function.
The joint pain and fatigue go away as the muscles in the joint regain strength again.
Before we start a detailed discussion on treatment, let us now try to first understand the causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of polio in India in detail.
What is Polio?
Polio infection is caused by poliovirus which may cause muscle shrinking, paralysis, or deformities in non-vaccinated children and adolescents. It targets the nerves in the spinal cord.
Poliovirus can spread via air droplets, faeces, contaminated food, and by contact with an infected person’s body fluids. It is highly contagious.
Post-polio syndrome is caused by weakened nerve fibers. About decades after the initial polio infection, again there may be the emergence of symptoms like muscle shrinking and fatigue along with deformities.
Let’s now get informed about the causes of polio.
What are the causes of polio?
Polio is caused by poliovirus which affects the nerve cells in the spinal cord that controls movement.
The motor nerve cells conduct signals from the spinal cord to the muscles.
Damage to these nerve cells leads to muscle weakness and paralysis in some patients
In certain cases, if there is the involvement of medulla oblongata (brain cells) the condition is called bulbar polio.
In bulbar polio, there is a symptom of difficulty in respiration and swallowing.
Know the child’s polio symptoms
What are the symptoms of polio?
The main symptoms are the following
- Muscle weakness
- Joint Pain
- Trouble sleeping
- Chances of falling down
- Trouble swallowing and chewing
- Trouble breathing
- Stiffness in the neck
- Inability to walk
What are the ways to diagnose polio?
Polio can be diagnosed by an experienced child specialist by examining the symptoms. If there is stiffness in the neck or muscle weakness in the child, then polio is suspected
Polio can be further confirmed by doing a throat swab test or by a stool test.
Let’s now discuss the options for polio treatment in India including deformity correction and regaining muscular strength.
Treatment of Polio in India
The treatment for polio can be categorized into conventional and advanced treatment options.
Conventional Treatments are more focused on deformity correction.
Your lower legs may be affected if you suffer from polio. There may be a shortening of limbs or ankle length.
To do the correction, orthopedists may use internal fixators (a device that immobilizes your limbs) or external fixators like the Ilizarov device.
Ilizarov device consists of ring-like structures that are fixed with your leg bones or ankle bones allowing the non-union of the bones to get healed.
By the Ilizarov method, many deformities in polio cases have been treated. There has been regeneration of soft tissues and an increase in bone length after the Ilizarov method of correction.
But, at the same time, the Ilizarov method is a hard-to-perform surgical procedure, with chances of complications.
Although, here the process of the Ilizarov method is not discussed, a lot of screws and wires are used in the surgical procedure. Only a handful of skilled orthopaedic surgeons will be able to perform the Ilizarov surgery.
The Ilizarov device is attached to the limb for at least 100 days and after that, it is replaced by external braces. Physiotherapy and very light exercises may be recommended to you for further healing.
Generally, after two years, you will feel no pain and will slowly develop a plantigrade foot (the posture in which the whole foot touches the ground and eases the process of locomotion).
So, you have learned that the surgical approach to the correction of limbs in polio is not without complications and the healing process is time-consuming.
Let’s now understand the advanced treatments. This painless procedure can help you to correct your minor deformity, regain muscular strength, and even remobilize your paralyzed legs.
Stem cells are building blocks of the body that get converted into mature cells of specific functions.
Stem cells can be used to treat poliomyelitis cases. Recovery from muscular and neuromuscular problems is possible after the stem cell therapy procedure.
The main stem cells that are used in treating polio cases are mesenchymal stem cells. These types of stem cells are separated from the adipose tissues or in some cases from the bone marrow.
The process of stem cell therapy is discussed below.
Extraction of stem cells
Extraction of stem cells from various tissues is done by specialists with the aid of only a needle and growth factors are added to the cells in the culture plate.
Administration of stem cells
There are multiple ways to administer the stem cells in your body. The route to administer the stem cells may vary according to the symptoms.
If you have a wide range of muscular problems, then it is better to inject the stem cells intramuscularly, otherwise, the intrathecal (fluid-filled layer covering your brain or spinal cord) route of administration is chosen by the doctors.
Intrathecal administration can also generate neuronal cells from the stem cells, which can help to recover the patient from feelings of pain and numbness caused by nerve problems.
Stem cell transformation into different cell types
Poliomyelitis causes neuromuscular problems. It destroys the nerves as well as the muscles connected with the nerves arising from the central nervous system.
Therefore, according to the site of injection and the environment, the mesenchymal stem cells can become myogenic cells or neuronal cells.
The development of specific types of cells depends on the growth factor secreted in the environment as well as the application of external growth factors.
Is stem cell therapy safe?
Administration of stem cells to the muscle or the intrathecal space after isolating them from the adipose tissue is completely safe as the nature of the cell is autologous in origin.
Even if the stem cells are isolated from the umbilical cord of the donor, there is very little chance of graft rejection, because the donor surface antigens are matched with the recipient before transfer.
After every extraction of the stem cells from the source, there is always a period of culture in the laboratory to make the cells viable and potent for transfer into the recipient’s body.
Advantages of stem cell treatment for polio cases
It has been reported by scientists that after stem cell transplantation, patients were able to walk without crutches, their neuromuscular and joint pain disappeared and the adult people were even able to drive cars.
If you have problems in your hip muscles and bone, due to poliomyelitis, it can be completely cured by using autologous stem cell therapy mixed with de-mineralized bone matrix. You can return to normal daily activities and will be able to climb stairs.
Stem Cell Treatment Success Stories in India
Today India is a polio-free country. But before India became polio-free, many people in India who were not vaccinated got infected and required to be treated.
They were successfully treated with a combination of deformity correction surgery and stem cell transplant. Even doctors in India could treat paralyzed children.
Today, India is helping citizens of infected countries to come over from Polio disease.
Cost of Polio Treatment in India
Treatment of Polio can be very expensive in countries like the UK and the U.S.A.
In India, the cost of polio treatment by stem cell therapy is around $6000 ( Rs 5, 00, 000 to 5,50,000 INR).
The cost of deformity correction by the Ilizarov method can be around $7000 ( Rs 6,00,000 to Rs 6,30,000 ).
Takeaway
For an effective and complete treatment of Polio, you should focus on deformity correction, regaining muscular strength, and correcting other neuro-muscular damages.
Stem cell therapy can help all aspects of treatment. However, if the deformity level is high, you may still need deformity correction surgery.
Even if you have performed surgery for your polio-affected leg or other body parts, you still need to work on muscle strength and other neuro-muscular damages (if applicable in your case) and you can count on stem cell therapy for that.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
Q1. Is there any treatment for polio?
Yes, there are treatments for deformity correction, regaining muscular strength, and correcting neuromuscular damage.
The treatment varies from deformity correction surgery, light exercise, physiotherapy, and stem cell therapy.
The right treatment protocol can be worked out based on your symptoms and impacts.
Q2. Can polio damage be reversed?
Polio damage even if it is paralysis can be reversed using stem cell therapy.
However, for high levels of deformities, deformity correction surgery may additionally be required.
Q3. Can stem cells treat polio?
Stem cells can cure polio by regenerating new nerve cells, establishing a connection between the spinal cord and muscle cells, and preventing muscle atrophy.
Q4. What is the most effective treatment against polio?
Stem cell Therapy is the most effective treatment against polio. In a few cases, deformity correction surgery will also be required.
Q5. Which is the best polio treatment in the world?
The world is getting Polio-free. There are very few countries where poliovirus is still present.
Prevention of Polio with vaccination is the best preventive way in the world.
If you are the one who is impacted, you can explore the treatments mentioned in the article.
Recommended Articles For You
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK558944/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3225570/
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1067251620300685
- https://www.dovepress.com/cell-based-neurorestorative-therapy-for-postpoliomyelitis-syndrome-a-c-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-JN
- https://symbiosisonlinepublishing.com/stem-cell-research-therapeutics/stem-cell-research-therapeutics05.php
- http://www.babycell.in/pdf/success/Stem_Cell_Therapy_Used_to_Cure_Polio.pdf
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Medically Reviewed By MedicoExperts Editorial & Clinically Review Board On 16 May 2024
Author Bio:
Dr. Khushbu Jain is a dedicated professional with a passion for advancing healthcare through cutting-edge treatments. She has a special interest in researching regenerative medicine and advanced treatment for diseases that are difficult to treat with conventional treatment options. Her deep understanding of these progressive treatments allows her to offer patients personalized and effective solutions for a variety of health concerns.
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