Many people with MS experience a temporary worsening of their symptoms when the weather is very hot or humid, or when they run a fever. These temporary changes can result from even a slight elevation in core body temperature (one-quarter to one-half of a degree).
MS causes nerves to lose their myelin sheath, making them more vulnerable to heat and temperature changes. Heat exposure can cause or heighten fatigue, numbness, blurry vision, tremor, confusion, imbalance, and weakness. This is a pseudo-exacerbation as symptoms typically dissipate once the body is cooled.
Heat sensitivity or Uhthoff's phenomenon occurs in 60–80% of MS patients [1], where increases in core body temperature as little as ~ 0.5°C can trigger temporary symptoms worsening.
Many people with multiple sclerosis (MS) experience a reaction to heat (or increased heat) which can flare up other symptoms. The symptoms and the severity vary from person to person. It's important to know that the effects of heat sensitivity are only temporary and your symptoms should calm once you've cooled down.
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.
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.
MS itself is rarely fatal, but complications may arise from severe MS, such as chest or bladder infections, or swallowing difficulties. The average life expectancy for people with MS is around 5 to 10 years lower than average, and this gap appears to be getting smaller all the time.
Despite having a similar core temperature to those without MS while resting and exercising, people with MS show a significantly reduced sweat response.
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.
Hot flushes
We know that many people with MS find their symptoms get worse in the heat too. And in a recent US survey, some women reported that hot flushes could trigger MS symptoms like fatigue and bladder problems.
The cause of hot flashes isn't completely understood, but it may be linked to signals from the hypothalamus , a region in the brain that controls body temperature. For some women with MS, hot flashes may intensify or trigger MS symptoms.
feeding difficulties – which may require a feeding tube or result in severe weight loss. difficulties breathing due to weakening of the respiratory muscles. difficulty with speech or losing the ability to speak. pressure sores due to immobility – which are at risk of becoming infected.
Pulmonary complications.
MS can weaken the muscles that control the lungs. Such respiratory issues are the major cause of sickness and death in people in the final stages of MS.
your genes – MS isn't directly inherited, but people who are related to someone with the condition are more likely to develop it; the chance of a sibling or child of someone with MS also developing it is estimated to be around 2 to 3 in 100.
Research has shown that maintaining enough vitamin D in the body may lower the risk of multiple sclerosis (MS). Several studies have shown that people who get more sun exposure and vitamin D in their diets are less likely to have MS .
[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.
People may feel hot for many reasons other than a fever. Some causes may be temporary and easy to identify, such as eating spicy foods, being in a humid environment, or experiencing stress and anxiety. However, some people may feel hot frequently for no apparent reason.
Common symptoms of MS flares can include feeling tired, pain, numbness, dizziness, muscle spasms, muscle weakness, brain fog, problems with going to the bathroom, or trouble seeing. Disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) can help reduce the rate of relapses and slow MS progression.