Stressing Out May Worsen MS Symptoms

Doctors have long recognized excessive stress as a major health concern, but for patients with chronic diseases like multiple sclerosis, the extra burden can be especially dangerous – possibly aggravating symptoms.

Stress is thought to cause an increase in core body temperature, which can overheat the nervous system. Such a spike may aggravate multiple sclerosis (MS) patients who have a degenerative condition that is already affecting the nerves. As a precaution, many physicians recommend practical stress management techniques.

"We think that stress can have profound effects, not just on how you feel emotionally, but also on inflammation and the immune system,” says Daniel Kantor, MD, medical director of Neurologique in Ponte Vedra, Fla., and president of the Florida Society of Neurology.