Unbearable Temperature Sensitivity in Multiple Sclerosis Patients: Struggling with Both Heat and Cold Exposure
Managing Temperature Sensitivity in Multiple Sclerosis
People with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) often experience temperature sensitivity, a condition known as Uhthoff's phenomenon. This condition is primarily caused by the slowed conduction and increased vulnerability of demyelinated nerve fibers to increased body or environmental temperature.
When body temperature rises, even slightly, the conduction velocity in these demyelinated nerves decreases further, leading to a temporary worsening of neurological symptoms. Mechanisms involved include demyelination, temperature effects on ion channels and nerve conduction, inflammation and chronic neuroinflammation, and cortical sensitivity.
To manage temperature sensitivity, people with MS can adopt several strategies. They are advised to exercise at cooler times of the day, wear light clothing, stay inside air-conditioned environments, drink cold fluids, and use cooling products like neck wraps and vests during exercise. A study found that drinking cold water may be particularly useful in helping with heat sensitivity in MS, as it helped participants with MS cycle for longer periods than when they drank warm water.
Cold temperatures can cause temporary issues with tremors, tingling, numbness, mobility, balance, vision, and cognition in some people with MS. However, severe MS symptoms occur more commonly in the heat than in the cold. Examples of symptoms that may worsen with higher temperatures include muscle weakness, difficulty with balance and coordination, memory and thinking problems, visual disturbances, sensations of numbness or pricking, and fatigue.
The symptoms improve once the person has cooled down. Changes in skin temperature can also contribute to worsening symptoms in MS. Experts suggest that cold sensitivity in MS may occur due to MS lesions in the area of the brain that affects body temperature.
Researchers have studied the effect of temperature sensitivity in MS on autonomic symptoms, such as cardiovascular functioning, and motor symptoms, including fatigue. The study also suggested that temperature sensors in the mouth, abdomen, and digestive tract could be playing a role in signaling to the brain to affect the perception of fatigue in people with MS.
In the past, doctors used a "hot bath test" to diagnose MS, which involved a person immersing themselves in a hot tub of water and the doctor basing the diagnosis on the appearance or worsening of neurological symptoms. However, it's important to note that while temperature sensitivity can exacerbate the neurological symptoms of MS, it does not cause more demyelination or damage to the nerves. The worsening of symptoms, known as a heat attack, tends to be temporary.
In conclusion, managing temperature sensitivity is crucial for people with MS to maintain their quality of life. By understanding the mechanisms behind this condition and adopting appropriate strategies, people with MS can effectively manage their symptoms and live comfortably.
- Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients often experience Uhthoff's phenomenon, a temperature sensitivity condition resulting from demyelinated nerve fibers' vulnerability to increased body or environmental temperature.
- Strategies for managing temperature sensitivity in MS include exercising at cooler times, wearing light clothes, staying in air-conditioned environments, drinking cold fluids, and using cooling products.
- Cold temperatures can cause temporary issues with tremors, tingling, numbness, mobility, balance, vision, and cognitive problems in some MS patients, while severe symptoms are more common in heat.
- The worsening of MS symptoms in response to temperature changes, known as a heat attack, is temporary and does not cause more demyelination or nerve damage.
- Researchers have studied the effect of temperature sensitivity on autonomic symptoms and motor symptoms in MS, suggesting that temperature sensors in the mouth, abdomen, and digestive tract might be involved in signaling fatigue in MS patients.
