Especially in summer, it is a common question: “Am I, as an MS patient, allowed to be in the sun? Isn’t the sun harmful?” – Here, I can generally reassure you – sunlight is by no means harmful for MS patients, but there are a few things to know and consider.
First and foremost, it should be noted that sunlight is very good for our psyche – and this naturally also applies to those affected by MS. It is always nice when, after the winter, the days become longer and brighter, the mood improves, we feel better and more active. It is also a fact that sunlight and time spent outdoors increase our vitamin D levels – and this is generally considered to be positive.
However, the fact is also that it can get quite warm in the direct sun, i.e. the body heats up. Here, MS patients can develop a so-called Uhthoff’s phenomenon (see also this amsel.de article). This leads to a (usually only temporary) worsening of known MS symptoms or the occurrence of symptoms that had long since passed – a condition that recedes again after cooling down. For these reasons, many MS patients tend to avoid heat and direct sunlight – which may be the reason why the rumor persists that the sun is harmful in MS and that one should generally avoid the sun.
The Uhthoff’s phenomenon does not affect all those with MS. There are people with MS who are not bothered by the sun and heat at all – on the contrary, they enjoy spending time in southern climes – and from a neurological point of view, they can do so as extensively as they wish. However, it should be pointed out at this point that one should be careful with direct sunlight – especially with fair skin types – for dermatological reasons, as sunburn increases the risk of skin cancer and precancerous conditions. So if you love the sun, then (if necessary due to skin type) always with sun protection.
However, there is a situation where I would advise against direct sun exposure for medical reasons – namely, if you are currently receiving or have received steroid therapy. This is due to the fact that the sun’s UV radiation also has an immunosuppressive effect. This can be seen, for example, in the fact that some people develop cold sores after intensive sunbathing (the virus escapes the immune defense due to UV-induced immunosuppression).
If the immunosuppressive effect of cortisone is added to this, both effects can add up and possibly contribute to an increased susceptibility to infection (including with herpes viruses). Therefore, I advise restraint in terms of direct sun exposure during a steroid therapy and up to a week after the end of the therapy.
But otherwise – for those who can tolerate it, there are no restrictions – and thus also: Have fun in the summer holidays.
