Get to know the symptoms and causes of polio, Paul 'Iron Lung Man's disease for 70 years until he died

foto: freepik.com, DailyMail.com

Paul Alexander, known as the 'Iron Lung Man', passed away on Monday, March 11, 2024, in Texas at the age of 78.

Brilio.net - A polio survivor from the United States, Paul Alexander, known as "The Man in The Iron Lung", died on Monday, March 11 2024, in Texas. Paul Alexander died at the age of 78. Although the cause of death was not explicitly stated, Paul Alexander had experienced a number of health challenges before passing away. At the end of February, he was rushed to hospital after testing positive for COVID-19. Despite being released from hospital, his manager reported that Paul was having difficulty eating and drinking.

Paul contracted polio when he was 6 years old in the summer of 1952, while living in Texas. The polio infection caused him to lose his ability to move from the neck down and made him unable to breathe independently. Doctors then put him in a device called an iron lung, which at that time was the most advanced life support technology for patients who had difficulty breathing.

photo: GOFUNDME

To use the tool, Paul had to enter the cylinder tube for a long time. Even though ventilators in the 1960s had replaced the iron lung cylinders like those used by Paul, it turns out he still chose to live in the iron lung cylinder. Paul said that he was used to these conditions. Like most polio survivors placed in iron tubes at that time, the initial estimate was that Paul would not survive long.

@ironlungman Throughout the years Paul has been receiving emails and letters from people struggling with serious mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression. We want to remind everyone that help is available and mental health is a serious issue across the world. If you ever experience any suicidal thoughts or actions please get help for yourself Text 988 or Call 1-800-273-8255 for support #conversationswithpaul #ironlung #poliopaul #PaulAlexander #QandA Jesus Exalted - Josu Novais Piano Worship

However, Paul managed to survive for decades, long after the discovery of the polio vaccine in the 1950s which succeeded in eradicating the disease in the Western world. Apart from that, living in an iron lung cylinder never dampened Paul Alexander's enthusiasm for life. He continues his education with the help of tutors who are always by his side. Despite facing various challenges over the years, at the age of 21, he managed to earn a high school diploma.

photo: DailyMail

Not stopping there, Paul continued to pursue higher education. In 1978, he earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Texas. After that, in 1984, he succeeded in obtaining a law degree. Even though his life was limited by his physical condition, Paul did not let this hinder his ambitions and dreams for the future. After completing his undergraduate education, he entered the professional world as a lawyer and worked dedicatedly for several decades.

Quoting from the Ministry of Health's website, the polio virus is included in the Human Enterovirus category which reproduces in the intestines and is excreted in feces. The polio virus consists of three types, namely strain-1 (Brunhilde), strain-2 (Lansig), and strain-3 (Leon) which all belong to the Picornaviridae family. This viral infection can cause paralysis by damaging motor neurons in the anterior horn of the spinal cord.

Polio can strike at any age, however, it tends to more often affect children under the age of five. In the early 20th century, polio became one of the most feared diseases in industrialized countries, causing paralysis in hundreds of thousands of children each year. However, in the 1950s and 1960s, polio was controlled and nearly eliminated as a public health problem in industrialized countries, thanks to the introduction of effective vaccines.

Polio is transmitted through person-to-person contact. When a person is infected with the polio virus, the virus enters the body through the mouth and reproduces in the intestines. After that, the virus is excreted from the body through feces and can spread in the surrounding environment. In places with poor hygiene and sanitation, such as unhygienic environments, the spread of the polio virus can occur rapidly within the community.

photo: freepik.com

Paul Alexander was infected at the age of 6, polio tends to attack children more than adults. However, the virus will continue to exist until a child grows up if it is not treated quickly. So you need to understand the symptoms and causes of the polio virus which are rarely known and ignored just because you live a clean life. Summarized by brilio.net from various sources on Thursday (14/3), let's get to know the symptoms and causes of polio.

Polio disease is caused by the polio virus. Generally, transmission occurs through direct contact or consumption of water and food contaminated by feces containing the polio virus. Even without symptoms, polio sufferers can still spread the polio virus to other people. Usually, this virus is caused by, among other things, a lack of clean sanitation, pregnant women who are HIV positive, and children who are not vaccinated.

In addition, each individual affected by polio can experience different symptoms. In fact, for the most part, around 95 to 99 percent of those infected show no symptoms. So it is necessary to pay attention to the following signs of polio.

Symptoms of non-paralytic type of polio.

Usually people with symptoms of this type of polio will feel fever, pain when swallowing, headache, constant vomiting, body feeling weak, and worse, meningitis. Even though the initial symptoms are quite normal, you need to be more alert to these trivial symptoms.

Symptoms of paralytic type of polio.

People with this type of polio have the same symptoms as the non-paralytic type, but after one week, other symptoms follow. Such as loss of reflexes, muscle pain and severe muscle cramps, drooping of the legs, and abnormalities of the lower extremities, especially in the hips and ankles.

Symptoms of post-polio syndrome.

Polio is very likely to reappear even if a person has been declared cured. This can occur 15-40 years after a person is first infected. Symptoms can include muscle and joint weakness, muscle pain that continues to get worse, becoming easily lethargic, reduced muscle mass, trouble breathing during sleep, depression, and difficulty concentrating and remembering.

Through the story and struggle of Paul Alexander who had to survive in a tube for 70 years, you need to be more aware of maintaining cleanliness and care about preventing viruses and diseases from an early age, one of which is polio. Paul Alexander became an inspirational figure in fighting his disease, so that Guinness World Records recognized him as the person who lived the longest in an iron lung.

Disclaimer: This translation from Bahasa Indonesia to English has been generated by Artificial Intelligence.