“Winter Changes Everything”
Living With Cold Intolerance as a Polio Survivor
By the Editorial Staff Polio Survivors Network, UK
“I can always tell when winter is coming, not by the calendar, not by the weather forecast, but by the way my body reacts before the rest of the world even notices the temperature drop. For me, the cold doesn’t just sting. It steals. It takes strength, energy, and ease in ways that are hard to explain unless you’ve lived through polio.
People assume I’m exaggerating when I say I dress for temperatures ten degrees colder than everyone else. But the truth is, my body doesn’t hold heat the way theirs does. The nerves that should tighten my blood vessels and keep warmth in were damaged decades ago, back when the poliovirus swept through my system. I didn’t know then that the effects would follow me into adulthood and into every winter.
When the cold hits, it hits fast. My hands turn purple. My feet feel like blocks of ice. My legs stiffen until walking becomes a negotiation between willpower and physics. Sometimes I lose so much strength that even holding a mug feels like a challenge. It’s not dramatic; it’s just reality.
I’ve learned to plan my life around warmth. Before I step outside, I layer up like I’m heading to the Arctic! I wear thin layers, thermal fabrics, wool socks, gloves even indoors sometimes. I heat my home to a level that would make most people peel off their jumpers, but for me it’s the difference between functioning and fading. That comes with it’s own challenges with the rising cost of living though.
Hot baths are a luxury I treat with caution. They feel wonderful, but standing up afterward can make the room spin. I’ve learned to move slowly, to wrap myself in a robe immediately, to respect the strange ways my body reacts to temperature changes.
What people don’t always see is the emotional side of it. Cold intolerance shrinks your world. It makes you think twice before going out, before making plans, before saying yes to things you’d love to do. It can feel isolating, especially when others don’t understand why winter affects you so deeply. But I’ve also found community in other survivors who nod knowingly when I talk about cold limbs and sudden weakness. Maybe we can share more tips and remind each other that we’re not imagining this but it can be managed with the right knowledge and support.
Winter still changes everything for me. But now, instead of dreading it, I prepare for it. I honour what my body needs. I stay warm before I get cold. And I remind myself that surviving polio once means I’m strong enough to face whatever the season brings.”
Why Polio Survivors Feel the Cold More Deeply
“Cold intolerance is a well recognised late effect of polio. The poliovirus didn’t only weaken muscles it also affected the body’s ability to regulate temperature.
Damage to temperature control nerves Polio impaired the nerves that normally tighten blood vessels in the skin when we get cold. When those nerves don’t work properly:
Warm blood flows to the skin instead of staying in the body’s core;
Heat is lost rapidly;
Hands, feet, and legs become cold and sometimes turn purple. This is why many survivors describe their limbs as “cold all the time,” even indoors.
2. Reduced muscle mass means less insulation
Muscles generate heat. When polio reduces muscle bulk, the body simply has less natural warmth to work with.
3. Cold makes weak muscles even weaker
Research shows that when polio affected muscles cool down, they lose strength quickly. This can lead to:
Increased fatigue;
Difficulty walking;
Reduced hand dexterity;
More pain and stiffness For many survivors, this is one of the most frustrating aspects of winter.”
Article Source: www.poliosurvivorsnetwork.org.UK , January 2026 Newsletter
Published with permission.