Heat sensitivity is a popular topic in the summer months, especially when you have multiple sclerosis. It has been a popular topic on my mind as of late with temperatures reaching 103°F with heat index values between 110°F and 115°F.
Did you know that persons with MS may have a decreased ability to regulate body temperature?
Beyond heat sensitivity and Uthoff’s phenomenon, MS patients may have difficulty in regulating their body temperature due to impaired neural control of autonomic and endocrine functions (Davis, 2010). The part of the brain that senses core body temperature and regulates it to about 98.6°F, the preoptic anterior hypothalamus, can be affected by MS, allowing for atypical fluctuations in body temperature.
In fact, hypothermia has been documented in small numbers of MS patients (Davis, 2010) with core temperatures ranging from to 86°F to 95°F. This can be problematic for patients when serious infections may be masked due to the absence of a typical fever response. I know that my “normal” core body temperature is closer to 97°F than 98.6°F. If I’m registering 98.6°F or higher, then I have a fever (for me).
Read this post in its entirety:
Heat and MS: An Impaired Ability to Regulate Temperature
Hi, I know this post is a little over a month old but I just stumbled upon it. I just did a post on my blog with 18 ways to manage heat sensitivity. Maybe some of the ideas would be beneficial for you. Here is the link:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.hehasms.com/2012/08/18-ways-to-manage-heat-sensitivity.html