cold showers/ baths, good or bad?

[mattalleng]

So obviously heat is bad for MS,
cool environments are good

so my question is this, does the cold temperature actually benefit MS patients or are those of us with MS simply trying to avoid heat?

I've been trying to take cool showers and in the last few days I have been slowly reducing the temperature, is a cold shower or bath beneficiary at all in relation to inflammation or is it just a waste of time? Thanks!

[NHE]

Hi Matt,

So obviously heat is bad for MS,
cool environments are good

so my question is this, does the cold temperature actually benefit MS patients or are those of us with MS simply trying to avoid heat?

I've been trying to take cool showers and in the last few days I have been slowly reducing the temperature, is a cold shower or bath beneficiary at all in relation to inflammation or is it just a waste of time? Thanks!

I don't know what it does for inflammation, but during hot summer months I feel better and more energetic after taking a cool shower. In addition, when I had optic neuritis I had to take cooler showers as a hot shower would cause my vision to fade out. Heat acts as an antagonist to postassium channels which slows down nerve conduction velocity. Note the use of the word cooler, this does not mean cold.

NHE

[mattalleng]

Hmm, maybe I won't push my limits with the cold unless some kind of research pops up that supports a reason to do so lol...

[Loobie]

I wouldn't overthink it. Cold showers are good for symptom relief. Whether or not they give any long term relief of anything is probably nil, but it does give you energy and makes you feel better. Symptom relief is probably all it is, but I seriously doubt there's any deteriment to doing it.

[mattalleng]

I guess that was my main concern, symptom relief, and now that I think about it, starting my day off with a cold shower does seem to keep me more awake throughout the day, I'm just going to stop torturing myself with the freezing cold water, I'll keep it on the cool side LOL.