“Spinal” and “Bulbar” Polio
Original Post: I had polio in 1954, was told I had spinal & bulbar. I have had so much trouble with my spine & legs for 18 yrs. I have so much pain. Is this coming from the spinal polio? What does Bulbar polio do?
Dr. Bruno’s Response: Bulbar polio refers to poliovirus damage to the brain stem that is clinically apparent at the time of the infection, causing difficulty breathing, swallowing and even death due to cardiovascular collapse. (Cardiovascular collapse was the most common cause of death in polio survivors, not difficulty breathing).
In point of fact, everybody who had spinal polio had some degree of bulbar damage. That's one of the reasons polio survivors have slow intestines and difficulty swallowing.