Some people with multiple sclerosis find that cold temperatures make their symptoms worse. It doesn't have to be extreme cold, it could be a light breeze or getting caught in the rain on a summer's day. The effect is temporary and, when you warm up, your symptoms should go back to their usual level.
Between 60% and 80% of people with MS find that heat can cause their symptoms to worsen. This might involve a build up of fatigue, blurred vision, loss of balance or a worsening of cognitive symptoms such as concentration or memory.
Some people with MS notice that symptoms, particularly spasticity, become worse in cold weather. It is generally recommended that people with MS who are sensitive to temperature try to avoid extremes of either hot or cold.
In many people with MS, getting hot slows down the messages passing along nerves which have already been damaged by MS and this gives rise to increased symptoms.
If you have a condition like multiple sclerosis (MS), cold temps can make your symptoms worse and make you flat-out uncomfortable. You might find that it's harder to move your limbs, you get more muscle spasms than normal, or your muscles feel tighter. Doctors aren't sure why cold temperatures make MS symptoms worse.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) triggers that worsen symptoms or cause a relapse can include stress, heart disease and smoking. While some are easier to avoid than others, maintaining a healthy lifestyle and overall health and wellness can have outsized benefits for MS patients.
Small increases – as little as ½ºF – in core body temperature can increase MS symptoms. Nerves that have lost their conductive coating (myelin sheath) become more sensitive to heat, and the nerve signal slows down or is blocked, resulting in an increase in symptoms.
Hot water showers and baths are sources of heat that can result in elevations in core body temperature. In multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, this can further interfere with electrical signals from already damaged nerves and lead to a temporary exacerbation of symptoms or the appearance of new ones.
Other medications are used to speed recovery from an MS attack. Some of the medications that a doctor might prescribe for relapses or attacks of MS include: A 3-to-5-day course of corticosteroids to treat inflammation and reduce the duration of the attack.
Omega-3s are widely understood to have cardiovascular benefits, and may be beneficial for people with MS. A review published in July 2021 in Nutritional Neuroscience found that omega-3 and fish oil may reduce inflammatory markers and relapse rates and improve quality of life for people with MS.
Cold temperatures can alter muscle and nerve activity. And when you have MS, the nerves in your brain, spine, and eyes may already be a bit slowed down. Adding the effects of cold body temperature can cause this altered nerve activity to manifest with cramping, stiffness, tightness, and spasticity.
But the oppressive heat of the Southwest may greatly compromise the quality of daily life for a person with MS. Moreover, the ideal climates of the Pacific Northwest — Oregon, Washington State, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming — might sound like a dream to a person with MS.
Increased activity, hot weather, hot baths and showers, saunas, and hot tubs are all sources of heat that can cause issues for someone living with MS. These sources can trigger a phenomenon known as an MS pseudoexacerbation, which is the experience of having symptoms appear or worsen due to heat exposure.
Current or previous smokers with the highest levels of EBV antibodies were 70 percent more likely to develop MS than those with neither risk factor. Study Provides Strongest Evidence Yet for the Role of Epstein-Barr Virus in Triggering Multiple Sclerosis. Ask an MS Expert: The Role of Epstein-Barr Virus in MS.
MS relapses are caused when your immune system attacks the protective covering (called myelin) around nerves in your brain and spinal cord. These attacks damage the myelin. Inflammation around the nerves is the sign of an attack.
Multiple sclerosis is caused by your immune system mistakenly attacking the brain and nerves. It's not clear why this happens but it may be a combination of genetic and environmental factors.
The risk factor with the strongest and most conclusive evidence of a link to MS is infection with the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV).
Heat. MS affects the part of your brain that controls your body's temperature. So it's easy to get overheated. Even a small rise in body temperature can make fatigue and other symptoms worse.
My brain goes fuzzy, I can't think clearly, my speech slurs and my eyesight goes. Swallowing becomes more difficult, my balance gets worse and my legs feel heavy and clumsy. Unlike the limits of normal, everyday tiredness, which may give a little when pushed against, MS fatigue can feel like a barrier.
[1] Sunlight exposure and reduced Vitamin D 3 levels independently contribute to MS risk. The effect of sunlight exposure is supported by decreased signs of actinic skin damage found in MS patients compared to controls.
Conclusion. People living with MS can face additional challenges with seasonal changes. Winter, with its lower temperatures, can lead to difficulties in walking, the use of hands or spasms. Yet, one must also pay attention to high temperatures when inside, as heat can worsen MS symptoms such as fatigue.