Heat sensitivity affects most people who suffer with multiple sclerosis, actually causing symptoms to temporarily worsen. These temporary changes can result from even a slight elevation in core body temperature (one-quarter to one-half of a degree). The main culprits are hot summer temperatures, rigorous exercise, or a fever.
For those with MS, heat can lead to extreme fatigue, blurred vision, stronger tremors, worsening balance, and increased brain fog and confusion. This unpleasant spike in symptoms will usually settle down after the body has cooled.
Heat sensitivity affects quality of life
Heat sensitivity keeps us indoors and prevents us from doing the things we love to do with family and friends. Not being able to participate in our own life makes us feel isolated, lonely, and depressed.
However, heat sensitivity is not only a problem for those with multiple sclerosis. Other diseases also negatively affected by heat include diabetes, Parkinson’s, Guillain-Barre syndrome, Grave’s disease, and ALS.
What causes symptoms to temporarily intensify?
It could be that heat sensitivity is a physiological response caused by the disease. Another possibility is that it could be an adverse side-effect of medication. My theory is that infection causes heat sensitivity, and is therefore treatable.
My theory
A growing body of research supports the belief that MS, and all autoimmune diseases are infectious diseases. My experience working with hundreds of students in the Live Disease Free Academy is consistent with this research.
Those of us with multiple sclerosis (or other chronic diseases) are infested with parasites. These include single-celled parasites, large and small parasitic worms, fungal overgrowth, and various bacterial infections, like the vector-borne infections associated with Lyme disease.
Interestingly, Borrelia (the bacteria associated with Lyme) is thermosensitive. Many parasitic nematodes have also been reported to be thermosensitive. Other common parasitic worms can behaviourally detect temperature changes as minuscule as 0.09°C/cm. (Source: Thermosensation: Human Parasitic Nematodes Use Heat to Hunt Hosts.)
Solutions
- Cool the body: cool shower, frozen gel packs, ice packs, cooling towels, cooling vests, as well as drinking cold water and staying hydrated.
- Avoid heat: go outside in the early morning or late evening, and use air conditioning in the warmer months for instance.
- Support the body and treat Infections: follow the Live Disease Free proven system.
While solutions 1 and 2 might provide temporary relief, they will not give you your quality of life back. As a result of treating infections well, our students no longer suffer with heat sensitivity. They can run five or 10 km races, take hot baths, play outside with their children and spend a day at the beach.
Above all, you don’t have to spend your life trying to manage your symptoms. To find out more about how you can overcome heat sensitivity, please watch my video below:
Clinically diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at the age of 28, Pam chose an alternative approach to recovery. Now decades later and still symptom free, she coaches others on how to treat the root cause of chronic disease, using a holistic approach. She can teach you how, too.
Pam is the author of Become a Wellness Champion and founder of Live Disease Free. She is a wellness expert, coach and speaker.
The Live Disease Free Academy has helped hundreds of Wellness Champions in over 15 countries take charge of their health and experience profound improvements in their life.
