The Heat is Not my Friend

I love the summer. It’s my favorite season. Sitting on the beach, sunbathing on the deck, watching sunsets outside with a glass of wine, enjoying a meal al fresco – all activities I love.

Unfortunately, since my multiple sclerosis diagnosis, I’ve had to rethink my relationship with Summer. I can still do all of these activities, but now I have to add prepping, planning, and analyzing into the equation. Why? Because for many people living with MS, including me, heat has become a problem.

Heat and temperature sensitivity can be an issue for people with MS. Some people with MS experience worsening symptoms when they get too hot, whether from hot and humid conditions or even from a fever. Temporarily, symptoms a person has experienced before can get triggered: for me, the tingling in my legs and feet comes on faster than usual, and fatigue sets in pretty quickly. For others, they might experience blurred vision or tremors.

This can occur because high body temperatures can make it difficult for demyelinated nerves to conduct electrical impulses, and in turn, make it hard for a person’s body to function.

The good news is, cooling down usually helps the symptoms to improve. Drinking ice-cold water, taking a cold shower, or using cooling equipment like cooling towels or vests can help to bring a person’s body temperature back down.

As someone who loves Summer, this is whole new situation is very irritating. That said, I’m determined to not let MS take away the things about Summer that bring me joy. I still want to sit outside, catch some rays, and soak in that vitamin D. So these days, I’ve got a portable fan, water bottle and cooling towel with me when it’s hot out, and I take breaks or find the shade when I need to. I love the summer, and I want to sit in the sun and spend time in fresh air – it just requires me to have a game-plan. I’m ok with that.

Learn more on the NMSS website: https://www.nationalmssociety.org/managing-ms/living-with-ms/diet-exercise-and-healthy-behaviors/heat-temperature