Cooling Products for Multiple Sclerosis

A phase-change vest cools the body by absorbing its heat. While it doesn't initially feel as cold as some other types of vests when you put it on, according to Bexfield, it works.

The cooling packs that come with a phase-change vest can be recharged in an air-conditioned room or, for faster recharging, placed in ice water, a refrigerator, or a freezer.

The lack of a strong cooling sensation can make these vests an attractive option for people who are cold sensitive.

One of Bexfield’s favorites in this category is the PCM Cooling Vest by EZCooldown, which sells for $196. It can provide over three hours of cooling, depending on the configuration you choose.

Another phase-change vest Bexfield recommends is the ThermApparel UnderCool vest, which stays cool for 2 to 3 hours and starts at around $200. This vest is also among Bexfield’s favorites because it's lightweight and can easily be worn under clothes. These features make it a good choice if you don’t necessarily want others to know you're wearing a cooling vest.

A third option is the Glacier Tek Flex Vest Set, which sells for $199. While a bit heavy at just under 5 pounds (lb), the vest is comfortable, and its cooling lasts over 2 hours after charging.

Best for: Staying cool with very little prep time

Ice pack vests may feel somewhat heavy, depending on how many ice packs you use. They are not a good choice for people who are cold sensitive, who may find them too cold.

While ice pack vests may sound like the most effective type of vest because, hey, it's ice, Bexfield warns that ice pack vests can counteract their own cooling effect. This is because as they start out so cold on the skin, your blood vessels contract, warming your body in response to the cold.

Furthermore, Bexfield notes that vests with ice packs require more maintenance. Users of these vests will need to refreeze the ice packs in a freezer and optimize the freezer temperature for the desired temperature of the ice packs.

For those who do want a very cold vest, the cooling effect of the Polar Products Adjustable Zipper Cooling Vest (shown above) lasts for up to 3 to 4 hours. With its multiple pockets, the Polar Products vest, which costs about $150, allows you to customize cooling and weight with ice packs in all or only some of the pockets. Polar Products also offers phase-change cooling packs, which don’t require freezing.

Note that ice packs should be frozen flat so they'll fit easily into vest pockets and won’t dig into you while you’re wearing the vest.

Best for: Icy cool when you have access to a freezer

Gel pack vests use cooling packs that first need to be soaked in water, then frozen. They generally offer about 3 hours of cooling before the gel packs need to be recooled. These vests are thinner than ice pack vests and can be more easily concealed under clothes. But condensation can be an issue with gel pack vests, and they do require a freezer to recharge.

For gel pack vests, Bexfield recommends those made by Oro Sports. Their full body vests sell for around $200.

The CoolSport Vestino by Oro Sports covers the back and is held in place by shoulder straps and a soft “belt” around the lower chest. It sells for just $98, is lightweight, and can be worn over or under clothes.

Additionally, Bexfield notes, the company’s original products were designed by a former DKNY designer, and this style-forward attitude continues in Oro Sports' products today.

Another example of a gel pack vest is the StaCool Under Vest. It sells for $190 and comes with two sets of cooling packs, so one can be stored in the freezer while you're wearing the other.

Best for: Flexibility and mobility

Vests that use evaporative technology are a type of passive cooling vest. Evaporative vests are lightweight and easily portable.

For Spencer Schaffner, an Illinois resident with MS who works primarily outside, the TechNiche HyperKewl (shown above) evaporative vest has become his favorite.

The TechNiche vest is available for about $40 at a variety of outlets. It needs to be soaked in water for just 2 to 3 minutes before you put it on, and thanks to its water-resistant liner, it won’t leave you too damp.

According to Schaffner, “The vest is easy to carry, you can take it in the car, and for me, it usually lasts for 1 to 2 hours before it needs another soak.” As he points out, you can’t wear it inside the house because it drips. Because of this, the vest works best for outdoor activities like walking and kayaking.

Schaffner has posted a few personal reviews of cooling vests on YouTube.

Bexfield cautions that evaporative cooling vests work far better in low humidity. In high humidity, little evaporation will occur, and the vest is likely to be very uncomfortable. They're primarily recommended for someone looking for a lightweight vest in a dry climate.

Best for: Staying cool in a dry climate at a moderate price

Active Cooling Vests

These vests can be very effective in certain circumstances. But Bexfield notes that active vests have limited portability because of their specialization and weight, as they require a pump, cooler, and power source. Thus, they are most suitable for heat-sensitive folks who need to stay cool at home or wherever a power source is accessible and portability is less of a concern.

Some newer active cooling products package their pump and cooled liquid reservoir in a tote or backpack along with a battery for more mobile applications.

The Compcooler Backpack Water Cooling System can circulate up to 3 liters of ice water through the vest and costs around $270. The Cool Water Shirt from Coolshirt Systems has similar tubing sewn into the torso and shoulder area of a T-shirt and costs $272.

But the active components that work with the shirt are sold separately, and will add to the total price tag.

Best for: Maximum cooling when money isn’t an issue and portability is not a priority

Insurance Coverage for Cooling Vests

To submit a claim for a cooling vest, first ask your doctor for a prescription or “letter of medical necessity” for a cooling vest. Then, send a reimbursement request to your insurance provider with a copy of your prescription and a copy of your receipt for the vest you’ve purchased. Polar Products includes some helpful sample physician and insurance company letters that you can use as templates.

If your health insurer denies your reimbursement request, you can appeal the decision. The National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS) offers advice and instructions on how to file a health insurance appeal and also provides a sample appeal letter for cooling vests. If necessary, enlist your physician’s help in making your appeal, and keep detailed records of all claims and bills.

What if you're a veteran? The VA Hospital system provides Polar Products Cooling Systems for veterans with MS, which means you can receive a vest at no cost. The Polar Products website has information on how to make this request.

How to Get a Cooling Vest for Free

If you can’t afford to buy cooling products, the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America (MSAA) and the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation (MSF) have programs to provide cooling products for free.

The MSAA application requires personal and financial information, and you will need to submit a prescription letter from your doctor that verifies your diagnosis of MS. If you qualify, MSAA allows you to choose between a vest or torso wrap that fits under clothing or a vest that’s worn over clothing. Some of the vest options include neck wraps, wrist wraps, and ankle coolers.

The MSF’s cooling program application is only open from February 1 to June 1 each year. If you’ve already missed the deadline this year, keep it in mind for when the window opens next year. Similar to the MSAA’s program, the MSF offers a variety of products, including vests, neck wraps, wristbands, and hats.

Cooling wraps work to cool a specific area of your body. Wraps are available for your head, neck, wrist, ankle, and torso. They are usually lightweight, portable, and concealable under clothing or footwear.

Some cooling wraps rely on evaporation for their cooling effects, while others require the use of ice packs or frozen gel packs.

Evaporative wraps, like this neck wrap from Ergodyne Chill-Its ($3), need only cold water to work. Just soak the wrap in water for a few minutes and apply it to the chosen area. When your body temperature begins to rise, the water evaporates, drawing heat away from your body.

Although evaporative wraps can continue cooling for an hour or so, they work better in drier climates. This means their level of effectiveness can depend on your location. And if you want to keep your clothes dry, a wet wrap isn’t the best option.

Other wraps require ice packs or chemical coolant packs, like this cooling neck wrap from Polar Products ($30). To use them, first freeze the packs in your freezer, then insert them into the insulated pockets in the wrap and put it on. These wraps last for at least 1 hour and are usually colder than evaporative wraps. To use the wrap for longer than an hour, you will need to have a second set of cooling packs so you can wear one while chilling the other.

While they're versatile and easy to transport, Bexfield warns that cooling wraps don’t always fulfill all your cooling needs and are used mostly on only a few areas, like your neck or torso. Yet for temporary relief, especially after overheating, they can be useful for quick comfort.

Consider cooling wraps a supplemental product to provide you with some quick, temporary relief.

Best for: Cooling a specific area of the body and fast relief on the go

Another product that can be particularly useful come summertime is a sun protective umbrella. According to Bexfield, a UV-blocking umbrella can keep you up to 10 degrees cooler than a standard black umbrella.

Some sun umbrellas, such as these hiking umbrellas from Gossamer Gear ($43) and Six Moon Designs ($45), have silver material on the exterior surface to reflect UV rays. Others, such as the travel umbrella from Coolibar ($55), have silver material on the underside of the umbrella.

Sun protective umbrellas come in larger sizes, too, such as the golf umbrella from UV-Blocker ($65).

The best choice for you will depend in part on the activity you intend to use it for — walking, outdoor sports like hiking or golf, or outdoor events like concerts. Make sure to note the weight of the umbrella before you order one, as well as the canopy size. This will help you make sure you’re getting an umbrella that meets your needs.

Best for: Shading yourself from the sun while spending time outdoors

Take Time to Towel Off

Another way to keep from overheating is to use a cooling towel. These evaporative towels are designed to provide immediate cooling relief — great for when you're on the go or exercising.

The Chilly Pad, about $15 from Frogg Toggs, is slightly longer than a hand towel and made of evaporative material. After soaking in water, the towel instantly begins to cool. According to the Frogg Toggs website, the Chilly Pad stays cold for 2 hours before needing another soak, and the material feels dry to the touch, even when wet.

Mission Cooling Towels, designed for athletes and available starting at about $10, work similarly. To use these, simply soak the towel in water, wring it out, and snap it a few times. The brand's Original Cooling Towel boasts cooling to 30 degrees below the average body temperature in under 30 seconds and stays cool for up to 2 hours.

Most cooling towels can be machine-washed and air-dried, but check the label or packaging materials to make sure.

Best for: Cooling off during exercise and other physical activities, particularly in dry climates

You don’t have to be physically active to overheat. During a heat wave, even resting and sleeping can be challenging.

If you have trouble getting some comfortable shut-eye, check out Polar Products’ Soft Ice Cooling Pillow Case for just under $30. A cooling pack fits into the pocket in the pillowcase and keeps cool for about an hour. While this pillow won’t stay cold all night, it can help you fall asleep or nap with greater ease.

Another useful item for cooling down while stationary, according to Bexfield, is the Glacier Tek Stadium Pad ($79). The pad is ideal for keeping cool when you have to sit for several hours.

An item Schaffner recommends is a self-cooling dog bed or mat, available from a number of companies, such as Arf Pets. While designed for pets, the bed doesn't require refrigeration and can act as a cooling pad that fits comfortably under the torso, making for more comfortable sleep in summer months. Prices vary depending on pad size.

Polar Products sells a Cooling Seat Cushion With Kool Max Packs for around $60. Similar to the cooling pillow case, the cooling seat cushion has pockets that hold frozen cooling packs. You can use the seat cushion on a deck chair, in the car, on your seat at a baseball game, in a wheelchair seat, or anywhere else you need to sit.

If you’re sitting outside, you might also try a misting fan, which manufacturers claim can decrease the surrounding temperature by as much as 20 degrees.

While full misting cooling systems come with a hefty price tag — usually starting around $1,000 — an individual misting fan can sell for as low as $25, providing more affordable relief.

Check out Cool-Off for a range of higher-end misting fans, and look in big-box stores such as Walmart for lower-priced models.

While misting fans are effective in dry climates, Bexfield warns that misting fans aren't effective in high humidity.

Best for: Getting to sleep or beating the heat while relaxing

DIY Solutions for Staying Cool

Commercial cooling products are not the only way to beat the summer heat and keep your MS symptoms at bay.

• Stay hydrated with cool water.
• Wear sunglasses and a broad-brimmed sun hat.
• Wear light, loose-fitting clothing.
• Take a cool shower.
• Shift activities to cooler parts of the day.

You can also try making your own cooling vest at home by filling the pockets of a fishing vest with reusable ice packs. Alternatively, fill a bottle with water and freeze it, then take your homemade cold pack to bed with you.