This is probably a dumb question... but I am new at this... sorry... Who knows why hot baths are bad for you. Does it make lesions worse, increase the progression of ms. Before I was dx, hot baths was an important part of my end of the day winding down routine. I miss them... I was told not to take them... but wasn't told why. Any help is appreciated. Thank you!

The hot bath used to be the way they diagnosed MS - immerse the subject in hot water, and wait for the symptoms.

They don't know why it makes things worse. Since they don't know what causes MS, this makes sense! However, the theory is that heat causes a short-circuit, and nerves aren't as capable of communicating as they were before they were heated.

Some people who have MS have an intolerance to heat. It makes the MS symptoms worse.

Back before they had all this technology to help with the diagnostic process for MS, they used to put people suspected of having MS in a hot bath and watch their reaction. If they had MS like symptoms crop up, they got dx'd and treated with prednisone.

But, on the other hand, some people do not react to heat at all.

In my case, I do. I am heat intolerant and have to really watch the heat and in addition, I have to make sure I keep my core temperature down. I have what's known as Uhtoff's Syndrome which causes pseudo-exacerbations if I allow myself to get over heated for an extended period of time. In some people, it only affects their vision. With me, if affects my legs and hands. They go completely numb. I have to lower my body temperature and make sure I am re-hydrated. If I don't I can put myself right into a full blown exacerbation.

Clear as mud? Good...we are ok now!

I was told that when your body is overheated, whether from the environment, exercise, or a hot bath, it slows the reaction time in the nerves, making "communication" slower..It happens to everyone, but in someone with MS (we're already "slow" LOL), it's far more noticeable..

Whether that's all correct or not, I don't know..But it does make a certain amount of sense...

I get Uhthoff's phenomenon in my eyes sometimes when I take too hot of a shower, but not every time. (not sure why that is) but, it hasnt bothered me so much that I've stopped taking hot showers yet.

My neuro said as long as I feel fine after taking a hot shower that it's ok to keep taking them. The vision problems (so far in one eye) are annoying, but it goes away within a half hour to an hour, so it hasnt been too bothersome for me yet.

The vision problem is the only one that I've had after taking a hot shower...if the heat from the shower starts doing other wacky MS stuff to me, then I might turn the temperature down a bit.

i'm very heat intolerant.

when a person with MS gets too hot, whether from a bath or from heat in the summer, nerve impulses slow down in the body. this can lead to extreme weakness and fatigue. it can cause a pseudo flare. meaning, when the body gets back to a normal temp, say from air conditioning, the sx's (symptoms) go away.

it's said that 1/2 to 1 degree can cause sx's to flare.
i can't take hot showers anymore. if i do i need to sit or go to bed afterwards til i recover.

Never was much on baths, tubs are too short. Showers! Now cool, like cold? Just can`t handle the warm water.

PPMS no flares or such, just a degree or two and I am weaker, more problems getting the legs to move. Seats in my shower, just can`t stand long enough to take one safely.

Uhthoff's symptom that's what happened to me when I had my first flare-up and so far only flare-up with Optic Neurtis I would take a hot bath and then suddenly my right eye got so bad I could hardly see out of it.But about half hour to an hour after I got out of the tub my eyesight returned to normal because my body temp came down to normal. At that time I didn't know I had ON and could't figure it out made a appt with a opthmologist and bingo you got Optic Neurtis and probably MS. That day was the shock of my life.

Kristi,
What a sudden & awful way for you to find out. I don't have this as an issue. But I had just not heard of it. Thank you.

there's no certain temperature.
see what's best for you as an individual.
if you're symptomatic try to decrease the temp of the water a bit.
not cold but not hot.

everyone is different.
some don't react to the heat but a lot of us do.
MS is very individualized.