No matter what it’s called, a flare can be tough to deal with, particularly when you’re newly diagnosed and still learning about the nature of MS. “A flare is defined as the appearance of a new neurologic sign or symptom, or maybe the recurrence of something which happened in the past that went away and now comes back,” says Barbara Giesser, MD, a neurologist and MS specialist at Pacific Neuroscience Institute at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California. Common symptoms include weakness, imbalance, numbness, tingling, double vision, or vision loss in one eye. To be a true flare, “Two important caveats are, it has to last at least 24 to 48 hours, and it has to not be due to a known precipitant,” Dr. Giesser says. For example, factors such as overheating can temporarily worsen MS symptoms, known as “pseudoexacerbations,” or “Uthoff’s phenomenon” without bringing on a true flare, according to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS). Each person with MS is unique. For some, it’s possible to experience no flares with the proper treatment and lifestyle measures. Others may still have flares even when they do everything right, but with precautions in place, the flares likely won’t be as bad or as frequent as they would be otherwise. Do you know which steps can help you avoid MS flares as much as possible? Answer these questions to find out. This assessment is part of a series aimed at helping you check in on your MS before your next checkup with your neurologist. Take more assessments.
