Going from heat intolerance to cold sensitivity with MS
I'm discovering new strategies to help manage low temperatures
Written by |
The heat has always been a part of my life in central Texas, whether I liked it or not. Every year, it seemed to linger for longer than most people would have liked.
When I was diagnosed with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, I realized the heat was definitely not my friend. At the beginning of my diagnosis, I didn’t know much about the common symptoms and issues associated with multiple sclerosis (MS).
My first neurologist explained to me that many of her patients traveled up north during the summer to escape the unbearable Texas heat. At the time, that intrigued me because summers had become increasingly challenging to deal with.
Sensitive to heat — and cold
It was only through online discussions on MS News Today a couple of years ago that I learned about MS cold intolerance, however, and how common a concern it is for many people in the community. That’s when I began to pay more attention to my own body when the weather started to change.
As temperatures dropped, I noticed some slight muscle stiffness and tension as it adjusted to cooler weather, which only lasted for a few days, luckily. I also experienced some soreness and discomfort, mostly in my joints. To combat this, I would take warm baths and showers to relieve some of that pain.
This year, the cooler weather has taken an even greater toll. On top of muscle aches, cramps, and pain, I’ve been having tingling throughout my hands and fingers. This is not an uncommon occurrence in my MS journey, but it has been worsening with the big temperature drop here in Austin. Just the other morning, I woke up to 35 F weather following recent 75-degree days. What a dreadful day that was for my body.
Curating a warm environment is the best way to ensure that we are protecting our well-being as cooler months approach. I’ve learned recently that one way to manage the cold with MS is to dress in layers. As intuitive as this may sound, I’m not as conscious about my layering techniques as I should be. Heated jackets, heating pads, compression gloves, or heated car seats can also provide targeted warmth for our bodies.
It also never hurts to treat myself to a warm beverage!
Note: Multiple Sclerosis News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Multiple Sclerosis News Today or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to multiple sclerosis.
Lisa Bowser
Thank you for your article. Depending on the season, I go back and forth between which one is worse. I always think it the season I'm in, but then the other season comes around and that one is worse than the last one. I live in PA, so we get the four seasons which I love. Our winter this year so far has been pretty cold so I'm definitely not feeling great. On top of that, I am currently off medication, as my last two medications made me pretty miserable. I'm waiting to see what my next MRI shows to decide whether I get on a third medication. Stay blessed my friend!
Mary Hinze
Here in Fort Worth, I do get it. I do much better with seasonal transitions than Spring/Fall one day and Summer/Winter the next, or the temps dropping 30+ degrees in a single day (had that happen last week). One thing is for sure with MS that I have discovered is that it surprises you in ways you never thought of lol😂
Renee Hoffman
I also have found that I am cold intolerant. It was very surprising to me. I live north of Houston and I have always hated the heat and stayed out of it as much as I could, and always waiting for the cooler days during the fall and winter months. Like most of Texas we have had crazy up-and-down days with heat and air-conditioning the next day. What I have noticed is the colder weather has also made me uncomfortable and I need to keep warmer during the cooler days. I truly did not ever think that cooler weather could not be my friend like it used to. I would read other people‘s stories about being cold intolerant and I had wished that was me because I was always heating intolerant. Wow what a crazy statement.
Elizabeth winzig
i used to live in Austin but moved to Providence, Rhode Island, to escape the HEAT!!!
i have lived here for 9 years and have done well, except that the COVID-19 situation was not fun and problematic!!! My social skills with the outside world were stunted and not positive, with only my native Rhode Islander to talk face-to-face with!!! Things have gotten better, but without any outside income, it feels unfulfilling....
Please do your best for yourself. i know that my MS group in South Austin was the Best, and my group Rhode Island is great but not Texans!!!
Lisa M Castillo
Right now, I found this information on my phone. I’m sitting in my house. My house seems so dark inside. I have all the windows open blinds open curtains. Yes it is December and today believe it or not It is a warm 78° I have MS I’ve had it now for about two years. I’m still trying to find all that I can in regards to what people go through with MS the reason why I’m mentioning what’s going on with me here right now in regards to a dark house my husband has been a postal Service worker for 33 years now I was working my whole life. My mom passed away in August to stage four cancer and I knew I was not feeling well. I thought it would be OK if I quit work big mistake. Big big mistake.! This house is overtaking me with the loneliness sadness I don’t have any friends I used to many many friends! But these wonderful people were due to my job and people that came in they know me I see them even at the grocery store It’s just crazy that It turns out this way, but no, I do not see any of them people anymore. They were my friends l close friends. I have a handful still that are in my phone. Their lives are too busy. It’s like once you stopped where you were working everything else stopped! And not a neighbor to have coffee with not a neighbor to converse with a quick hello and that’s it… I have a good weight that I maintain. I’ve always eaten healthy long before MS ever hit me. I’m not depressed. I’m not anxiety, but I’m just over the top sad it’s like there’s no life around me. I have a walking pad in the house I do 30 minutes in the morning 30 minutes at night with a little bit of a quick walk on that walking pad. I’m making an appoint every day to walk to the mailbox to get some sunshine the mailbox is about two blocks so two blocks up and two blocks back to the house but then I come in and I just slumped down. I’m just exhausted from just sitting here. Yes I have family members and all out of state including the kids. It’s just sad. It’s just lonely and I know this is not good for my MS. My mother‘s passing is not helped and something I have not mentioned was four years ago. I’ve got colitis so having colitis and MS and alone in your house seems to always be dark. I am so picky about my house so neat so clean honestly there’s nothing to do in the morning but wash out my husband‘s coffee cup and waved to my husband as he goes on to work and he works a good 1214 hours a day so I’m just being eaten up with loneliness…..
I live in San Antonio my husband and I own our house. He does plan on retiring in about a year year and a half we want to downsize just purge and downsize. We have a big two-story and just too much. It’s gotten worse too much for me to even wanna go up and down the stairs to take care of. I don’t want to and I will not interrupt his job, but I hope the retiring comes soon so I can have them with me and we can do stuff together. Yes, I have a car and yes, I drive but the medicine in San Antonio. This girl over here does not venture into highways and freeways. I’m a little mouse in this little trap that I go One Direction from my house to the H-E-B in another direction. I have 3or 4 of my different doctors/Dentist And the Walgreens or CVS and that’s all I do and you can’t go to the grocery store and to CVS every day for what? but sometimes I just go just so I can roam around and nose and look trying to smile at people maybe get a conversation started but people people people they just don’t do that no more They’ll nod but they’ll move on and it’s sad. So in all this mess. I apologize to all who reads this. Maybe you can let me know why here lately my forehead and the rest of my body feels so clammy I feel hot a lot hot and cold weatherwise are debilitating to me. To all of your wonderful people again I apologize that my babbling I guess he can tell you that girl is lonely.🙃 thank you to all that has read this Lisa Castillo