Does severity of a cold/infection make a difference?

[A webber]

I'm wondering if the severity of a cold or infection would effect the severity of a relapse? Or if there's less chance of relapse if an infection is less severe or for a short duration?
I had a really bad sinus infection in the summer and ended up with a full relapse, causing a strange seizure like symptom in the left corner of my mouth which then morfed into virtigo and eye twitching for three weeks. On the other hand I've had a normal cold and haven't had a relapse....so it makes me wonder as I am just getting over a cold that was fairly mild.

[SNOOPY]

Hello A webber,

Infections, viruses, the flu, increase in core body temperature, overdoing it, and at times other health issues can cause pseudo-exacerbations which are self-limiting. Usually once the other health issue, flu, virus or infection resolves your MS symptoms will return back to what is normal for you.

However, it is always possible for other health issues to cause a true exacerbation

Pseudo-exacerbation
A temporary aggravation of disease symptoms, resulting from an elevation in body temperature or other stressor (e.g., an infection, severe fatigue, constipation), that disappears once the stressor is removed. A pseudo-exacerbation involves symptom flare-up rather than new disease activity or progression.
http://www.nationalmssociety.org/Glossary#P

Exacerbation
The appearance of new symptoms or the aggravation of old ones, lasting at least twenty-four hours (synonymous with attack, relapse, flare-up, or worsening); usually associated with inflammation and demyelination in the brain or spinal cord.
http://www.nationalmssociety.org/Glossary#E

If your symptoms improved after your sinus infection cleared up what you experienced would have been a pseudo-exacerbation.

When the other health issue clears up and your symptoms remain elevated and consistent then more than likely it's due to an exacerbation.

[A webber]

Thank you snoopy for your response. My question though is not weather I had a relapse, which I did, but wether the severity and/or duration of an infection has a direct correlation to to having a new relapse or how bad a new relapse would be.?

[SNOOPY]

but wether the severity and/or duration of an infection has a direct correlation to to having a new relapse or how bad a new relapse would be.?

No, it does not.

[pennstater]

Thank you snoopy for your response. My question though is not weather I had a relapse, which I did, but wether the severity and/or duration of an infection has a direct correlation to to having a new relapse or how bad a new relapse would be.?

My personal experience - NO. I had bad bronchitis/walking pneumonia, no relapse. I have had a cold followed by relapse. But just my personal experience.

It is an interesting question. Part of me seems to think the longer you have an infection, the more inflammation you may have, which you would think could raise risk of relapse.

I will be curious to see other responses. Thanks for raising the question.

[SNOOPY]

Hi Kathy,

It is an interesting question. Part of me seems to think the longer you have an infection, the more inflammation you may have, which you would think could raise risk of relapse.

My story might even make this a little bit more interesting for you...or maybe not

In 2014 I had a benign cyst on my left eyeball. It has been determined that the cyst and an exacerbation coincided with each other. The cyst was removed and I was told the cyst would not have created the vision and pain problems I was having. I was diagnosed with Internuclear ophthalmoplegia (INO), caused by MS.

Fast forward to Oct. 2015. I developed a cyst on the right eyeball. I had that one removed Dec 9, 2015. Before it was removed I was having an increase in my MS symptoms. Within a week after the surgery the MS symptoms calmed down and went back to what is normal for me. I had a Pseudo-exacerbation due to the cyst.

At no time with either cyst did I run a fever nor was there any infection. Whatever one wants to make of this I am absolutely sure those cysts aggravated the MS. The first cyst caused a true exacerbation and the second one a pseudo-exacerbation.

I had a cyst (removed) many years ago in a different location and a vascular lesion (removed) and neither one caused a problem with the MS.

There really isn't any rhyme or reason with this disease or what may or may not cause an exacerbation or pseudo-exacerbation.