People with mild symptoms usually get better after several days of bed rest. Any additional infections are treated with antibiotics. People who have damage to their nerve cells need to have their symptoms treated.
All medications have side effects. Antibiotics and pain medications have some side effects, such as stomach upset or allergic reactions. Treatments to help with breathing or urination may cause infections.
After the poliovirus is treated, the person will still need physical therapy to gain strength and mobility. After many years, new nerve cells can begin to fail, resulting in muscle weakness. This is known as postpolio syndrome.
Monitoring is ongoing. Postpolio syndrome develops very slowly. It is usually diagnosed after muscle strength testing is done over a long period of time.