Polio causes paralysis

Polio, short for poliomyelitis, is a disease caused by a virus. It mainly affects the nerves in our body, and it can make people very sick. Polio spreads from person to person, usually through contaminated water or food that has the virus in it. It can also spread through close contact with an infected person’s saliva or poop.

1. Attacking Nerves: When the polio virus enters the body, it can sometimes travel through the bloodstream and reach the nerves in the spinal cord and brain. These are important parts of our body’s messaging system.

2. Disrupting Messages: Our nerves help our brain send messages to different parts of our body. These messages control movements like walking, using our arms, and even breathing. Polio can interfere with these messages.

3. Causing Weakness and Paralysis: In some cases, the virus can damage the nerves that control muscles. When the nerves are damaged, the muscles they control can become weak or even stop working. This weakness or loss of control in muscles is called paralysis.

4. Types of Paralysis: Polio can cause different types of paralysis depending on which nerves are affected. If the nerves that control our legs are damaged, it can make it hard to walk. If the nerves that control our breathing are affected, it can even lead to breathing problems.

5. Recovery or Long-Term Effects: Not everyone who gets polio becomes paralyzed. Some people recover fully, especially if the nerves aren’t severely damaged. But for others, the damage to the nerves can lead to permanent paralysis, meaning they might not be able to move certain muscles anymore.

6. Prevention Through Vaccination: The good news is that there’s a vaccine to protect against polio. It’s given to children and helps their bodies build defenses against the virus. Thanks to widespread vaccination efforts, polio has become much rarer in many parts of the world.

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Remember, while polio can cause paralysis, it’s important to know that the chances of getting paralyzed from polio are very low, especially if you’re vaccinated.