[Although this article is about MS, I thought it might be validating to see in black-and-white that heat and bright light trigger symptoms for people dealing with neurological issues.]
everydayhealth.com
by Connie Brichford
Keeping Your Cool: Multiple Sclerosis and Heat Intolerance
Heat intolerance is a common issue for people living with multiple sclerosis. Not only are they more sensitive to heat, heat intolerance can also make their MS symptoms feel considerably worse. Tanuja Chitnis, MD, assistant professor of neurology and director of the Partners Pediatric MS Center at Massachusetts General Hospital for Children, compares the nervous system to a network of insulated electrical wires that work better in cooler temperatures. While exposure to heat will not do permanent damage to someone with MS, Dr. Chitnis says, heat does indeed make their MS symptoms worse — at least in the short term.
Jeffery Gingold, who was diagnosed with MS in 1996, says that in environments where both heat and humidity are present, his MS symptoms are more likely to flare. Similarly, Rick Sommers, who has been living with MS since 1994, has seen a difference between environments where both heat and humidity are present and those where only the temperature is high: "I was in Arizona over the summer, and daytime temperatures reached 116 degrees, but I felt better there than I sometimes do at home in New York with only 90-degree days but extreme humidity."
The best way to avoid a temporary increase in MS symptoms that relate to heat intolerance is to avoid overheating in the first place. But if you do feel overheated, it's important to take steps to cool yourself down. There are a number of strategies that can help people living with MS to accomplish this; you just need to figure out what works best for you.
Living with MS: Keeping Your Cool
There are various ways to lower your temperature, and avoid a symptom flare. Experts suggest that you:
Take care during exercise: Chitnis recommends that her MS patients get in two to three exercise sessions per week in addition to following a generally healthy lifestyle. Exercise can offer both physical and emotional rewards to people living with MS, but it's important to choose activities that work for you rather than against you. Swimming or water aerobics in a pool with a low water temperature are two types of exercise that work well for people prone to heat intolerance. Avoiding exercise in the heat of the day, taking frequent breaks, and taking advantage of air-conditioned gyms are also smart ideas that can help you stay fit in a safe way.
Pay attention to your body: Whether you're exercising or simply doing chores around the house, when you have MS it's important to pay close attention to the signs your body is giving you. If you feel like you're getting uncomfortably warm or feel dizzy, faint, or excessively sweaty, take a break and give yourself some time to cool down before you start again. Wearing breathable clothing can also help keep heat intolerance at bay.
Try "cool" new activities: Gingold has always enjoyed ice skating and used to speed-skate competitively. He still enjoys skating, but now has an added appreciation for "the coolness of the track," which makes ice skating an MS-friendly activity.
Avoid hot places: Sommers attributes an incident that took place shortly after his MS diagnosis to a greater conscientiousness about avoiding elevated temperatures. After spending time in a hot tub, he found that he was unable to see clearly for some time. People living with MS can apply this word of caution to other areas of heat exposure as well — keep hot showers and baths short and steer clear of steam rooms and saunas, for instance.
Plan vacations with care: Gingold says that while he used to think Florida was a great vacation spot, he's developed a greater appreciation for the cold weather charms of his native Wisconsin. If you or your loved ones are set on visiting a sunny location, look for environments with dry heat rather than the double threat of heat and humidity.
Be creative: Talk to other people living with MS to find out what helps them avoid heat intolerance. Sommers says a friend with MS gave him the idea of freezing a t-shirt in the summer to done when he needed an extra layer of coolness. The National Multiple Sclerosis Society reports that eating popsicles and drinking icy drinks are also good ways to beat the heat.
If you are newly diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and have not yet met other people living with MS, a support group can provide you with an invaluable resource for information and advice on coping with heat intolerance and other symptoms of MS.
http://www.everydayhealth.com/multip...tolerance.aspx
