How to Survive the Summer Heat with MS

Almost everyone loves summer, but some of us could do without the heat that summertime brings. Overheating your body can have unsettling consequences.

While exposure to heat generally does not do permanent damage to someone with MS, even a slight (one-half of a degree) elevation in core body temperature can make MS symptoms temporarily worse. You may experience fatigue, visual disturbances, or a feeling of weakness, especially in the limbs. Once you get cooled down, symptoms generally go away by themselves.

Why does heat make MS symptoms worse?

Heat is thought to cause these pseudo-exacerbations because demyelinated nerves have more trouble conducting messages at higher temperatures. That doesn’t mean you need to miss out on summer. With a bit of planning, you can enjoy summer without getting burned by the heat.

Prevention is your first and best defence

Prevention is your first and best defence against heat sensitivity in MS. Limit your time outside in extremely hot or humid conditions. And summer or winter, it’s always wise to avoid taking long hot showers and baths, and using hot tubs, steam rooms and saunas.

Beat the heat, don’t shun the sun

There are many ways you can keep your body from overheating and still enjoy the summertime sun.

Enjoy outdoor activities during cooler times of the day, usually early morning or evening, and take a break when needed.

Swim or do aerobics in cool water (recommended temperature 80-84 degrees). Not only will it help you keep cool but swimming and other water activities have a long list of benefits. They can improve your endurance and cardiovascular fitness as well as reduce stress and help you relax. All while helping you survive the summer heat! 

Find swimming exercises you can do.

Dress for the weather. Wear wide brimmed hats and light-coloured loose clothing in breathable fabrics such as cotton. If you’re exercising outside, wear cooling garments such as vests, headbands and neckbands – these are used by many athletes to prevent overheating.

Dampen and refrigerate a towel, or freeze a wet T-shirt to put on over your clothes when you’re headed out into the heat.

Cool your core. By keeping your body cool before going outside or exercising can help you beat the heat by increasing the time it takes for your core body temperature to rise. In other words, it gives you longer before you feel the heat.  Here are a few ways you can cool you core.

• Drink plenty of fluids; water is an ideal choice. Drinking cool water can help keep you cool.
• It’s important to stay well hydrated. Avoid beverages containing caffeine (like many soft drinks) as this acts as a diuretic.
• Hot weather can dampen your enthusiasm for cooking, let alone for eating a hot meal. Look beyond the popsicle freezer for cool and nutritious foods that won’t cause your blood sugar to spike and possibly contribute to fatigue.
• Freeze your favourite fruit beverage and eat it as a slushy. Try raw vegetables with a hummus dip, fruit with (frozen) yogurt, salads with meat, fish or hard boiled eggs for protein, cold soups, or even smoothies made with your favourite fruit and cold milk or soy beverage. When you do want to cook, consider using the BBQ to avoid heating up the kitchen.
• A cool bath or shower can help reduce core body temperature before and/or after activity or exposure to a hot environment. Start by getting into a bathtub of comfortably lukewarm water, and add cooler water over a period of 20-30 minutes. Submerging the upper body in cool water will maximize the cooling effect.

Chillin’ at home

Air conditioning can save the day when a heat wave strikes, or the humidity soars. If you need an air conditioner because of MS-related heat intolerance, the cost may be tax-deductible.

Install window tinting to shield you from the hot summer sun; this can cut your cooling costs by 30 percent in summer months.

If you want to exercise inside, use air conditioning or a fan, to help keep your body temperature at an appropriate level.

Spend summertime out on your patio, deck or porch. Install misting fans, which blow a fine mist of water into the air and can lower temperatures in the immediate area 20 to 30 degrees. They can be mounted to a wall or overhead beams, or there are free-standing ones that sit on the ground.

Maintain healthy levels of vitamin D with approximately 5-30 minutes of sun exposure between 10 AM and 3 PM at least twice a week to the face, arms, legs, or back without sunscreen. That’s especially important when you have MS. (Using sunscreen with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) lower than 8 also allows some vitamin D synthesis.)

Other tips

Hit the mall

Air conditioned shopping malls can be a great place to get all your errands done in the summer without breaking a sweat. If you are a frequent mall shopper, or have other reasons to cross an expanse of simmering pavement during the summer, consider getting an Accessible Parking Permit (APP) to allow you to park closer to where you’re going. The Permit is issued at no charge to people who have conditions such as MS that limit their mobility. The Permit is issued to an individual, so you can use it in any vehicle you travel in to park in a designated accessible parking space.

Vacation time

Travelling with medications and syringes requires advance planning. Here are a few tips to help you have the best experience possible when traveling.

• Take an extra week’s worth of medication in case of travel delays, and enough syringes to last for your entire vacation.
• Don’t forget to keep your medications cool (if required) by using a cooler bag with ice packs.
• Have a letter from your doctor outlining the medications and medical devices that you require, and certifying that syringes are for medical use.    
• Keep all medications in their original packaging showing the prescription label.
• If you are flying, be prepared to meet security requirements. 
• Clarify the airline’s policy regarding carry-on baggage and syringes, to ensure that you will have access to your medical supplies or assistive devices while in the air.
• Make the airline aware of devices you use (leg braces, walker or wheelchair) and of any assistance that you will need to get on and off the plane and during the flight.