Taking a shower exhausting for fibromyalgia sufferers?

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Yes, fibromyalgia often makes showering an exhausting, painful, and overwhelming activity due to profound fatigue, nerve sensitivity (allodynia), and heat intolerance. The physical exertion of standing, washing, and drying can feel like running a marathon, leading many to feel drained, dizzy, or needing to rest for hours afterward.

Why Showering is Difficult with Fibromyalgia:

Profound Fatigue: The energy required for self-care can trigger post-exertional malaise (PEM), making basic tasks exhausting.
Sensory Overload: The sensation of water pressure or towel drying can cause pain due to hypersensitive nerves.
Temperature Sensitivity: Hot, humid, or rapid temperature changes can cause dizziness, nausea, or trigger pain flare-ups.
Physical Exertion: Standing for a long time, stretching, and reaching, particularly during a flare-up, can be physically taxing.
CreakyJoints +2

Management Strategies:

Use a Shower Chair: Sitting while showering saves energy and prevents dizziness.
Lower the Temperature: Opt for lukewarm water to avoid overheating.
Keep Routine Simple: Use pump soaps, simplify haircare, and use a thick robe for drying to minimize skin sensitivity.

comments

I just read an article about how taking a shower is exhausting for fibromyalgia sufferers. For yrs raising my arms to wash my hair has caused pain in my upper arms. Anyone else experiencing this?

Barb Giangreco Rowe

I am not officially diagnosed yet, but this is me! Everything everyone says pretty much is me. I hope we figure this out soon. I have had xrays, bone scan, a million blood tests and I see a rheumatologist in two weeks.

Antonia Hara

Barb Giangreco Rowe I’ve had all them tests also but it’s the rheumatologist who diagnosed me in the end by asking questions and feeling my joints good luck

Barb Giangreco Rowe

Antonia Haralambous thank you!

Barbara Greer

Yes! It’s so painful to take a shower or wash my hair. My tub is cut-out and thankfully so much easier to get into. I also have a nice shower seat. But it’s not like taking a good ol’ stand up shower. Every muscle in my body from neck, shoulders, back …

Jennifer Johnson

Yes! So exhausting for me to shower. It also doesn’t help that when the water hits me it hurts. By the time the shower is over my body is so tired and sore.

Vicki Swearingen

Yes. I had long curly hair. It was exhausting to do so I shaved my head

Heide Randwulf

I use a shower chair and it has changed my life tremendously. I know in a way that sounds silly, but not having to use all the muscles it takes to keep me standing for the 20 minutes it takes me to shower has really given back access to cleanliness on …

Debby Cat

I hate to shower because of the pain. Not just raising my arms above my head but the water hurts my skin. To keep from hurting as bad I have low water pressure and softest setting on the shower head. My water is Luke warm and cool water to rinse off to…

Mary Stevenson

Yes…. it hurts my arms and back when I wash my hair. Showers are not fun for me…. I can’t even stand up so I have a bath bench….

Pam Purk

Yes. Sometimes the shower and shampooing have to be done on different day. We’re going through a remodeling now in bathroom to go from tub to walkin shower. Tub has made it impossible to get into for anything.

Sheila Newby

Yes it’s very hard to have a shower with out it tiring you out..

Mary Caparro

I used to love taking hot showers, but now I have to push myself to take one and I cannot take a hot one because the hot waters causes a stinging sensation on my body.

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