Our office is closed from 20th December and will reopen 6th January
It’s that time of year again… summer! If you are someone who is affected badly by heat, you are probably dreading how to survive this summer.
When you live with multiple sclerosis, you may notice that your symptoms feel worse when the weather is very hot and/or humid or when you have a fever. A higher body temperature makes it harder for demyelinated nerves to conduct electrical impulses. This can make it more difficult for you to function.
Activities such as sunbathing, exercising and taking very hot showers or baths may affect your MS symptoms. Heat generally only worsens symptoms temporarily. It does not cause more disease activity or additional damage. Usually, symptoms improve after you cool down.
If you’re lucky enough to have air conditioning, maintaining a stable environmental temperature is great to prevent overheating and symptom flares. But what if you don’t have air conditioning, or you want to leave the house? Not to worry, read on!
Disruptions to autonomic and endocrine functions can also occur. Temporary changes in symptoms associated with heat are referred to as Uhthoff’s phenomenon, for more info on Uhthoff’s phenomenon head here.
MS symptoms that worsen with heat and humidity include:
• Blurred vision • Cognitive difficulties such as problems with attention and concentration • Fatigue/reduced energy • Muscle weakness • Numbness in the extremities • Slowed reaction times • Tremors
Drinking cold/icy liquids Sucking ice cubes Taking a cold bath or shower (starting lukewarm, and slowly making it colder) Sitting by a fan or breezy spot Precooling (using cooling methods before being exposed to heat stress) can also help If you’re on the go, taking an icy beverage in a thermos, Chilly Bin or Chilly Bag could help you to last the distance. It is important not to put ice directly on the skin for the purpose of cooling.
Avoiding hot environments – indoors or outdoors, seeking out environments with effective cooling, going out early morning or late evening, wearing lightweight and loose clothing, avoiding dark clothing, being sun smart (keeping covered and staying in the shade), closing curtains/blinds and keeping up fluid intake, can all help in preventing symptoms associated with overheating.
If you feel like you need to be doing more, an external cooling aid could be of benefit.
The most used cooling aids come in different forms such as vests, ties, mats and wraps. Cooling garments have been shown to improve neurological function and reduce fatigue in individuals with MS.
Cooling vests, ties and wraps: out of these, cooling vests are the most effective. Feedback received from people with MS using cooling vests in summer has stated a significant improvement in their ability to manage heat.
The cooling vests have special crystals sewn into pockets, which are activated and expand into gel form when soaked in water. Once activated, these vests can be used icy cold, cool, wet, damp or dry, and can be stored in the fridge or freezer. The vests can retain their cool temperature for long periods of time and can be worn under or over clothes. To make them last longer, it’s a good idea to keep them in a chilly bin or bag, with ice packs when on the go.
For those with sensitivity to cold, they can even be used hot! These vests work by dropping skin temperature, stabilising core temperature and improving perceived level of comfort. They are not dangerous and are designed so that they will never drop core temperature below a safe 37.5 degrees Celsius. Other products, such as cooling ties and wraps, are made of similar materials as the ones found in the vests and can also help with cooling. They are most effective when used in combination with a cooling vest. Cooling wraps can help when you have specific parts of your body that become overheated.
Do you find yourself waking up too hot in the middle of the night, or heating up the chair/couch that you sit on? In this case, cooling mats and pillows could be of use. These contain naturally cooling grainy or gel substances that have a cooling effect when sitting/lying on them.
Gel pet cooling mats are generally cheaper and can work too, although they don’t retain their cooling effect for long. These can be stored in a cool, dark place and are useful short term cooling options.
To select the right products for your individual needs, consider the following: • What is the cooling garment made of? • What is its total cooling time? • What is the garment’s weight? Is it designed to f it under or over regular clothing? • What is the method of cooling (e.g., ice/gel packs, evaporative cooling, phase change)? • Which works best in your specific climate and lifestyle?
Ray Finch from Spectrum Care and Professor David Tscharke talk MS and Covid vaccine.
Sally Shaw, Psychologist, joined us for Newly Diagnosed Day, and gave an insightful talk sharing useful strategies on navigating an MS diagnosis.
