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.
Although a steamy soak may be tempting to help ease muscle stiffness or nerve pain, hot temperatures can actually worsen MS symptoms, even if temporarily.
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 damages the protective sheath around nerve cells in your brain and spinal cord. This slows down nerve signals, so your body doesn't always respond the way it should. Heat can slow these signals even more. MS can also affect the part of your brain that controls your body's temperature.
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.
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 temperatures can make pain feel worse, and for people with conditions like multiple sclerosis, heat can trigger Uhthoff's phenomenon, which causes worsening nerve pain. Cold temperatures can make joints feel stiffer and more painful, especially for people with arthritis.
In the 19th and early 20th centuries, the effects of heat on people with MS were used in the diagnosis of the condition. The hot bath test involved lying in a bath of warm water. If this caused or worsened neurological symptoms, it was taken as evidence that the person had multiple sclerosis.
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.
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.
Despite having a similar core temperature to those without MS while resting and exercising, people with MS show a significantly reduced sweat response.
Abnormal sensations can be a common initial symptom of MS. This often takes the form of numbness or tingling in different parts of your body, such as the arms, legs or trunk, which typically spreads out over a few days.
A combination of the magnesium rich Epsom Salts and the way you float free from gravity allows muscles to completely relax. Magnesium is used in the body to help muscles relax and help nerve function so is helpful for people with MS who are struggling with tight painful muscles and spasms.
Use lukewarm water. Very hot water can make you tired and aggravate your symptoms. Sew straps on towels to make them easier to hold while you dry yourself. Place a towel on the floor outside the tub to dry your feet so you don't slip.
Many people with MS experience dizziness, in which you feel light-headed or off-balance, notes the NMSS. A less-common MS symptom is vertigo. When you have vertigo, you feel as though your surroundings are spinning around you, Dr. Kalb says, or that you are spinning.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) can make it harder for the body to regulate temperature, leading to heat and cold sensitivity. Learn more about this common symptom of MS and how to manage it.
Fatigue is also among the most common symptoms, reported by at least 75% of MS patients at some point in the disease course. For many, fatigue is considered to be the single most debilitating symptom, surpassing pain and even physical disability.
The McDonald criteria use MRI evidence extensively and suggest that an MRI scan is made for everyone in whom an MS diagnosis is possible. Lesions may be found even in someone with few or no clinical symptoms, which would be evidence for DIS.
MRI shows brain abnormalities in 90-95% of MS patients and spinal cord lesions in up to 75%, especially in elderly patients.
The risk of MS is substantially reduced among those who reported a high consumption of coffee, exceeding 900 ml daily OR 0.70 (95% CI 0.49–0.99 in the Swedish study) and OR 0.69 (95% CI 0.5–0.96 in the US study). No significant association was found between coffee or caffeine intake and the risk of MS.
When temperatures rise, burning sensations can become more intense due to "temperature sensitivity," which means that any extreme temperature, whether hot or cold, can worsen symptoms and increase pain.
Be sensitive to temperature – Many people report that neuropathy feels worse in hot weather or when feet are heavily covered, which may prevent adequate air circulation.
Smoking constricts the blood vessels that supply nutrients to the peripheral nerves and can worsen neuropathic symptoms. Exercise can deliver more blood, oxygen, and nutrients to far-off nerve endings, improve muscle strength, and limit muscle atrophy.