Finding Relief in the Midst of a Flare

Introduction

Multiple sclerosis flares can feel like your body is staging a rebellion—fatigue surges, muscles stiffen, and your mental clarity vanishes in a fog. Whether triggered by stress, heat, illness, or unknown causes, these symptom spikes can disrupt daily life and leave you searching for something—anything—to regain control.

Enter cold water therapy. Once reserved for elite athletes and Wim Hof followers, cold exposure is now being embraced by people with MS as a tool to reset the body and mind after symptom spikes. The goal isn’t to “cure” the flare, but to support recovery, reduce the intensity of symptoms, and reclaim a sense of calm and agency.

This article explores how cold exposure can support post-flare recovery in MS, the science behind its effects, and how to use it safely at home.

Want a cold plunge? Click here.

❄️ What Is Cold Water Therapy?

Cold water therapy involves immersing part or all of your body in cold water—usually between 10–15°C (50–59°F)—for a short period of time. Common forms include:

Cold showers

Ice baths or cold plunge tubs

Outdoor swimming (lakes, rivers, ocean)

Cryotherapy (in specialized clinics)

In the context of MS, cold therapy is often used to counteract the overheating and inflammation that can occur during or after a flare. But its benefits go beyond body temperature.

🧠 Why It Helps After an MS Flare

1. Cooling the Nervous System

Heat sensitivity is a well-known issue in MS. Even a slight rise in core body temperature can worsen nerve conduction, intensifying symptoms like vision problems, fatigue, weakness, and cognitive dysfunction (a phenomenon known as Uhthoff’s phenomenon).

By reducing core temperature, cold water can:

Temporarily restore nerve signal efficiency
Decrease symptom severity
Provide immediate (if short-term) relief

2. Activating the Parasympathetic Nervous System

Cold exposure is a stressor—but a controlled one. When done correctly, it can help regulate the autonomic nervous system by stimulating the vagus nerve, which promotes parasympathetic (“rest and digest”) activity.

This activation may:

Calm anxiety and emotional overwhelm
Improve heart rate variability (HRV), a marker of resilience
Support emotional regulation after the mental toll of a flare

3. Reducing Inflammation

Some studies suggest that repeated cold exposure may lower pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-6 and TNF-alpha, and increase anti-inflammatory cytokines like IL-10.

This may be particularly helpful in MS, where chronic inflammation is a key driver of:

Neurodegeneration
Symptom flares
Fatigue and pain

4. Improving Energy and Motivation

Cold exposure can provide a quick dopamine and norepinephrine boost, which may help with:

Mental clarity
Mood stabilization
Post-flare apathy or depression

The effects aren’t permanent, but they can help you break the spiral of inactivity and fatigue that often follows a flare.

🔄 From Flare to Flow: Using Cold to Reset

Step 1: Acknowledge the Flare

First, honor the fact that your body is reacting to something. MS flares can be unpredictable and often demand more than a “push through it” approach. Accepting that a reset is needed is the first step.

Step 2: Choose the Right Form of Cold Therapy

Here’s how to choose your method based on how you feel:

Symptom	Recommended Cold Exposure
Uhthoff’s (heat worsens symptoms)	Cold shower or plunge tub (1–3 minutes)
Fatigue & brain fog	Brief cold face immersion or cold shower burst
Muscle stiffness or spasticity	Cold pack on spine or full cold bath
Anxiety or emotional flooding	Vagus nerve stimulation with cold (neck/face/forehead)

Step 3: Make It Safe and Sustainable

When dealing with MS, cold exposure should be gentle, brief, and consistent:

Start with just 30 seconds of cold water at the end of your shower
Gradually build up to 2–3 minutes over a few weeks
Use a thermometer if using a plunge tub (aim for 10–15°C)
Never force it—shivering or numbness is a sign to stop
Always warm up afterward (cozy clothes, warm drink, breathing exercises)

🧘 Add Breathwork for Deeper Reset

Combining cold exposure with intentional breathwork can maximize the parasympathetic benefits. Try this while in the cold water:

Inhale through the nose for 4 seconds
Hold for 4 seconds
Exhale through the mouth for 6–8 seconds
Repeat for 3–5 rounds

This breath pattern encourages nervous system downregulation, helping shift from stress to flow even as your body adapts to the cold.

🌿 What About After the Cold?

Cold water is just one tool. After a flare, your nervous system needs ongoing support. Combine cold therapy with:

Gentle stretching or restorative yoga
Anti-inflammatory nutrition (omega-3s, turmeric, magnesium)
Sleep hygiene and rest
Connection and community support
Light movement when possible to reestablish mind-body coordination

Remember: Cold exposure is not a replacement for medication or medical advice, but it can complement your recovery plan.

⚠️ When to Avoid Cold Water Therapy

Cold therapy isn’t for everyone. Avoid or speak to your doctor first if you have:

Cardiovascular disease or arrhythmias
Raynaud’s syndrome
Autonomic nervous system dysfunction (severe)
Severe fatigue or low body temperature
Open wounds or infections

If you're in the middle of a severe relapse or recently received corticosteroid treatment, wait until you’ve stabilized before introducing any stressors, even beneficial ones.

🛁 Realistic Cold Therapy Options at Home

You don’t need a fancy setup. Here are some budget-friendly ideas:

Option	How to Use	Cost
Cold shower	End your warm shower with 30–90 sec of cold	Free
DIY plunge tub	Fill a bathtub with cold tap water and a few ice trays	Low
Outdoor cold exposure	Use lakes or rivers (with safety precautions)	Free
Facial cold therapy	Use a bowl of icy water or cold compress on face	Free
Vagus nerve cooling	Place ice pack on neck/upper chest for 2–3 mins	Free

Want a cold plunge? Click here.

🧊 Sample Cold Reset Routine After a Flare

Morning (Post-Flare Day 1):

Gentle stretching + hydration

2 minutes of cold shower exposure (or 1 min cold, 1 min warm)

5 minutes breathwork

Light breakfast with omega-3s and turmeric

Midday:

Rest or light movement (short walk or legs-up-the-wall pose)

5 minutes mindfulness or gratitude journaling

Cold pack on neck/shoulders (vagus nerve spot)

Evening:

Warm bath or cozy socks to signal safety

Herbal tea + low-light environment

Optional cold splash before bed (forehead or wrist) to cool down and relax

10 minutes of calming breathwork before sleep

💬 What MS Warriors Say About Cold Therapy

“I used to dread flares because I felt helpless. Now, when I feel one coming, I go straight to the cold plunge. It doesn’t stop the flare, but it softens it. I recover faster.”
— Lila, 34, living with relapsing-remitting MS

“The cold face dips are my go-to when I’m spiraling. They give me 10 seconds of focus—and sometimes that’s all I need to come back to myself.”
— Jordan, 41, secondary progressive MS

“MS flares hit me hard with fatigue and mood shifts. A cold shower resets my brain. It’s like I come back online.”
— Sam, 29, diagnosed 5 years ago

🌈 From Flare to Flow: Reclaiming Your Rhythm

Cold water therapy won’t erase your MS. But it can offer you something many people with chronic illness crave: a sense of influence over your own recovery.

When your nervous system is overwhelmed and symptoms spike, cold exposure can be a bridge—taking you from chaos to calm, from fatigue to focus, from flare to flow.

And the best part? You don’t need a clinic, a prescription, or expensive gear. Just a willingness to listen to your body, meet it where it is, and offer it the cool reset it may be craving.

📚 References

Bove, R. M., & Cree, B. A. C. (2021). Diagnosis, differential diagnosis, and misdiagnosis of multiple sclerosis. Continuum (Minneap Minn), 27(4), 972–1000.

Davis, S. L., Wilson, T. E., White, A. T., & Frohman, E. M. (2010). Thermoregulation in multiple sclerosis. Journal of Applied Physiology, 109(5), 1531–1537.

Hasegawa, H., et al. (2005). Effects of cold water immersion on human recovery after exercise-induced muscle damage. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 95(2-3), 140–147.

Kox, M., et al. (2014). Voluntary activation of the sympathetic nervous system and attenuation of the innate immune response in humans. PNAS, 111(20), 7379–7384.

Tracey, K. J. (2007). Physiology and immunology of the cholinergic antiinflammatory pathway. Journal of Clinical Investigation, 117(2), 289–296.

van der Meijden, W. P., et al. (2022). Cold exposure and neuromodulation: Exploring the vagus nerve’s role in inflammation and mental health. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 16, 889330.

Nieman, D. C. (2003). Exercise and immunity: Influence of nutrition and exercise training on infection risk. Nutrition Reviews, 61(5 Pt 2), S31–S38.