b'Pay attention to how quickly the change hasYou can look back at this information to see taken place. If you notice an abrupt change toifthereisatrendandshareitwithyour a symptom or function, this can often indicatehealthcare team during your next visit. If the an infection. In people living with MS, heatchange is in a specic activity, it can also be sensitivity can extend beyond the temperaturehelpful to make a video and share with your outside. If your internal body temperaturehealthcare provider. increases, it can abruptly cause changes inListen to what other people are telling you. your symptoms. You may notice an increaseMany times, others, particularly loved ones who in spasticity, stiffness, weakness, or fatigue.know us well, will identify changes before we This may be your bodys way of telling younotice. abouttheinfection.IfthisabruptchangeIf your change in symptom or function lastsmorethan24hours,contactyourreturns to baseline relatively quickly, or you healthcare provider. Changes in temperature,dont see it as a consistent change, then it is activity level, and psychological stress mayoften because of external factors that may also cause temporary changes in your symptomscause transient changes. Common external and once removed, the symptoms will returnfactors can be temperature, activity or inactivity to baseline.level, emotional stress, and infection to name Draw upon your past experiences. You noticea few. If you notice the change is not related that when you go on a grocery run, you begintoexternalfactorsorhasnotreturnedto to catch your toe when leaving the store onbaseline in a month or two, seek assistance the way to the car. However, during your mostfromyourhealthcareteamtoassessthe recent grocery trip, when it is hot outside, youchanges and formulate a treatment plan. notice you catch your toe earlier in the shoppingSome measurement tools which can be trip. In many cases, catching your toe earlierused to assess many common MS symptoms. is because of the effects of heat. However, ifHavingbaselineassessmentscanbevery you notice you catch your toe earlier in yourhelpful in detecting small, subtle changes. trip on a day when it isnt hot, then that is aSome baseline tests are performed during change. This change could be because of otheryour neurology appointments, but it is also factors (i.e. it is later in the day than when youhelpful to establish care early with your usually shop, you slept less the night before).rehabilitation team (physical therapist, If you notice it consistently during the nextoccupational therapist, speech or language couple of shopping trips, it is worth seekingpathologist, and mental health provider) so out further evaluation.additionalbaselinemeasurementscanbe Document your changes. If you are noticingperformed. Regular visits to these providers changes, note them in a journal or on yourmay also help in assessing any changes that phone. Be as thorough as you can about themay occur. circumstances of those changes such asChanges in symptoms, while challenging, activities being performed when the changeare manageable. Working with your healthcare occurred such as the time of day. If you returnedteam to determine an approach that will work to your baseline, how long did it take, and didbest for you is extremely important so you you do anything to help return to baseline.can continue doing the activities you enjoy. 11 msfocusmagazine.org'