People with MS can take a dive in the heat. Summer months are the roughest, but simple tricks can keep those with multiple sclerosis from wilting.
Summer is coming and so is the heat. For people with multiple sclerosis, this often means experiencing more symptoms. All MSers are not affected by the temperature, but quite a few are. Hot tubs, humidity, stuffy rooms, and even fevers can also cause symptoms to flare. Any of these factors can leave a person with MS feeling weak, numb, dizzy, and achey. It has been rumored that some neurologists, before the invention of the MRI, would place a suspected multiple sclerosis patient in a hot tub to see if MS symptoms could be evoked. It sounds like quackery, but the heat phenomenon seems to be a common thread with people who have MS. Fortunately, some of the discomfort can be minimized with several tricks, some more large-scale than others.
The theory behind multiple sclerosis heat sensitivity is that nerves have a harder time conducting messages at higher temperatures. So if a person with MS already has faulty nerves, the rise in temperature is doubly bad. Perhaps worse for a patient is a rise in body temperature, or a fever. This is thought to cause an actual flare-up or worsening of MS, whereas external heat fluctuations merely cause pseudo- or "pretend" flare-ups which aren't marked by a worsening of a person's MS, and once the patient is cooled off, these symptoms often go away on their own. A true flare-up caused by a fever can actually worsen someone's MS and cause new damage and new symptoms.
Ways to KEEP COOL both externally and internally include:
- air conditioning/ fans
- cool showers/ baths
- pools
- cold drinks/food
- cool or cold compresses
- cooling vests, which have removable ice packs
- avoiding illnesses that involve fevers
- the yearly flu vaccine
Larger-scale temperature control can include moving to a more moderate climate. Some people with multiple sclerosis also have a sensitivity to cold (less noted than heat sensitivity) and have found that year-round mild weather, such as that in California, makes them feel better. Summer trips to more temperate areas, such as Canada, New England, and the West Coast of the U.S. can also put a spring back in MSers' steps.
***For more articles and discussions about MS, please visit the MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS Suite.
***For related information, check out the Neurological ARTICLE INDEX and Blog.
********************************************************************************************************
