Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease wherein which the immune system attacks the nervous system. As you all know by now, that is scientific speak for the body attacks itself, which causes certain symptoms, such as tingling in your fingers, numbness in your face, or shooting pain in your shins. When our medication works, generally these symptoms subside, and we don’t experience them. But, the old symptoms sometimes pop back up every once in a while or new symptoms sometimes join in on the fun, and when that happens, it is called a flare up.
Specifically, a flare up is an episode that causes new ms symptoms to arise or causes old symptoms to come back. Some people call it a relapse, attack, episode, or exacerbation. I like to call it a flare since it seems more temporary and less dramatic or serious, even though, there are cases when a flare up is really serious and real medical treatment is necessary.
Fortunately, my flare ups aren’t that bad. I experience things like numbness in my face and thighs, tingling in my fingers and toes, and phantom trembling in my neck and chest. I also sometimes forget words or get a little tongue tied. All of these symptoms last for no more than a couple minutes at a time, so they thankfully don’t inhibit my life too much. I generally live my life like a very “normal” person.
Additionally, there are things that you can do to try to prevent a flare up or alleviate the intensity of a flare up, and they are listed below. I try to be mindful of these tips on a daily basis to avoid a flare up or alleviate one that is happening.
- Drink organic grass-fed beef bone broth
- Stay hydrated with filtered water
- Eat good healthy fats, like fish and avocados
- Eat organic veggies, like broccoli or asparagus or Brussel sprouts
- Meditate or do a yoga class
- Take a nap or rest
- Try to not overheat or try to cool down
- Try to limit your stress
- Exercise and use light weights
- Try to prevent getting an infection/wash your hands a lot and don’t touch your face
Hopefully, if this happens to you, you can have this list handy to help ease the flare and prevent future flares from occurring to extent possible.
Here’s to being well preserved.
Always, Taylor
