Fatigue can be difficult to treat with medication, and you'll likely be advised to find ways to manage your daily life effectively; this will prevent you from using up too much energy (causing you to burn out), whilst also ensuring you are not too sedentary, which can make symptoms worse.
Medication to help relieve pain may include:
• Painkillers e.g. aspirin or paracetamol
• Prescription painkillers e.g. codeine
• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs e.g. ibuprofen, naproxen
Some people also explore complementary therapies such as massage, acupuncture and reflexology to manage their pain, which are not proven to work but seem to offer some health and wellbeing benefits.
If you are finding it difficult to manage pain associated with your condition, you may wish to contact Pain UK, a charity supporting people living with pain.
Some people find they have problems with feeling low, depressed or anxious due to living with a long-term health condition. If you are finding your mental wellbeing is affected, you may wish to explore options for counselling or therapy, and the NHS provides information on these services.
Some people experience breathing problems or sleep apnoea due to muscles in the chest and throat becoming weaker. You may be recommended specialist breathing equipment to help with this, such as a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Therapy (CPAP) machine that helps you to breathe when you are asleep.
As you can see, there are a number of post-polio treatment options available.