Are multiple sclerosis symptoms constant?

The answer to this question is quite complex as it has a lot of variables surrounding it. A big factor in whether or not you will have constant symptoms is the type of multiple sclerosis (MS) you have.

The type of MS

There are two types of multiple sclerosis that progress constantly and always present symptoms, primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) and secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS). MSers with these will see a gradual increase in symptom activity over years in comparison to relapse remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS).

Those with RRMS will experience relapses of symptoms but gradually remit and feel better over time, so whilst you might have episodes of symptoms, it isn’t constant.

It should also be noted that external factors can impact the progression and consistency of symptoms.

Factors that can make symptoms worse

The heat

MSers tend to be very sensitive to changes in temperature, and often times a hot day can make someone with the disease feel very fatigued and impact cognitive function. There are many other way it can affect you but heat will usually  negatively influence your MS experience.

Stress

Holding a lot of stress isn’t good for anyone, but for MSers it can make symptoms worse and often creates a knock-on effect of feeling worse.

Smoking

It’s widely known as a harmful activity for your heath and there has been evidence to suggest that smoking when you have MS can increase the onset and speed of disability progression.

It is ideal if you can avoid these three things.

What you can do to help symptoms

There are many things that can reduce the impact of symptoms, regardless of if they’re constant or not. Some examples include

• Maintain a healthy diet
• Stay as active as possible (both physically and mentally)
• Trying not to drink alcohol excessively
• And to always take your prescribed medication for other conditions

We’ve only really scratched the surface in this blog, but the buttons below will lead you to some very helpful and relevant resources. Just click one to learn more today!