It’s well known that heat and MS are not pals. Heat can exacerbate MS symptoms quicker than anything. So you’d think that us MSers would love when winter comes around, right? Nope. Winter and cold temperatures are just as hard on us as heat, just for other reasons.
Cold temperatures bring on their own group of issues. Cold can bring on increases in pain, stiffness and spasticity. If you experience the ‘MS hug’ you may find that it gets worse in winter months. Some people actually experience more fatigue in the winter, possibly from dealing with the muscle symptoms mentioned above or an increase in depression, another MS symptom. Something else that often occurs in the winter (and it happens to me ALL THE TIME) is Raynaud’s Phenomenon. This is when either the tips of your fingers or toes lose circulation and turn white then blue when cold. When they eventually warm up, blood returns, but it is very painful.
As with most other things that come with MS, the reason behind why we are affected by cold so much isn’t well known. However, there is new data is coming out constantly about how Vitamin D levels effect individuals with MS and developing MS. It looks like Vitamin D levels do have something to do with relapses, their severity and how symptoms are experienced. Since Vitamin D is obviously lower in the winter months, this may have something to do with why symptoms are experienced at higher levels during winter months when Vitamin D is at it’s lowest in our bodies.
So what can we do about our symptoms RIGHT NOW?
Glad you asked!
Although cold weather and MS don’t get along, just as we do with heat, if we are careful and plan around our day, we can get through it all just fine!
What are somethings that you have found that have helped with dealing with the cold?
Let me know! I’d love to hear from you.
I’M ALISSA!
I help women who have also been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis make specific and personalized diet, lifestyle & subconscious changes so that they can begin to heal their body, reduce disease symptoms, and return to a life they love.hey there,
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