Why showering with Fibromyalgia is the worst thing ever

A few months ago I shared on twitter and Instagram that I finally purchased a shower chair, because showering with Fibromyalgia is rough. This was something I put off for years because I didn’t consider myself disabled enough and I am stubborn. Now that I have the chair I feel foolish for waiting so long, because it’s so much easier to shower with it.

So true. I was in complete denial of my illness for a long time and that kept me from finding things to help me cope. When I finally admitted I was disabled and went and bought a shower chair that made my life much easier.

— Chronic Mom (@chronicmom1) November 17, 2020

This made me think about how showering when you have Fibromyalgia is just overall painful and exhausting, and why is that?

Why is showering with Fibromyalgia so difficult?

1. Allodynia and showering with Fibromyalgia

It all goes back to our good old friend “heightened nerve response (allodynia) and sensory overload. I’ve addressed allodynia in previous posts, but basically the sensation of the water hitting your skin can cause your nerves to overreact and send erroneous pain signals.

Showering hurts because the sensation of the water hitting your skin can cause your nerves to overreact and send erroneous pain signals. Click To Tweet

2. Temperature Sensitivity in Fibromyalgia

Have you noticed that you feel worse after a really hot shower, compared to one that is lukewarm? I have. Often I go lie on the bed afterwards because my body is jello and I’m exhausted. People with Fibromyalgia are very sensitive to temperatures. The exact reason for this is not known, but it’s theorized that the autonomic nervous system that works to keep your body’s temperature in range does not work correctly.

People with Fibromyalgia are sensitive to temperatures. It's theorized that this happens because the autonomic nervous system that works to keep your body's temperature in range does not work correctly. Click To Tweet

Additionally, though I have no scientific reason for this, a hot shower makes me sweaty. I assume it raises my body temperature and my body doesn’t regulate that very well, but sweating when you get out of the shower is not a fun thing.

3. Dizziness with Fibromyalgia

As many as 70% of people with Fibromyalgia experience dizziness. We often get dizzy by doing simple things, such as standing up. When you’re in the shower you are bending up and down and your body is trying to keep its balance.

As many as 70% of people with Fibromyalgia experience dizziness. We often get dizzy by doing simple things, such as standing up. When you're in the shower you are bending up and down and your body is trying to keep its balance. Click To Tweet

Even healthy people can feel dizzy after a hot shower. Hot water can cause the arteries close and to open, allowing you to get rid of extra heat. This lowers the blood pressure, so when you suddenly move not enough blood is reaching your lungs and brain, and causes dizziness.

4. Showering with Fibromyalgia takes energy

We tend to think of showers as pretty boring and requiring little movement, but the truth is you generally stand their for a long time and you’re moving around a lot. Standing for 10 minutes without resting on something is generally not a regular habit for people with Fibromyalgia.

5. Depression with Fibromyalgia

Depression is incredibly common with Fibromyalgia and depression itself can make it difficult to shower.

• the lifetime prevalence of depressive symptoms is 90%*
• the lifetime prevalence of major depressive order is 62=86%
• At any point in time depressive symptoms in Fibromyalgia are 40%

The lifetime prevalence of depression in Fibromyalgia is 90%, Why are we still blaming the victims here? Click To Tweet

For many people with depression, showering can feel like an insurmountable obstacle. It’s hard to explain to people who haven’t experienced it, but sometimes the energy it takes to shower is just too much. There’s also a lot of shame out there for people who are struggling that can’t put the effort into hygiene, and shame can make things even worse.

 

How can I make showering with Fibromyalgia a better experience?

Get a shower chair

This only works if it’s just standing that’s your problem. I got a shower chair and it’s made showers better, but not perfect. I still have to rest afterwards, but I can stay in the shower longer. There’s all different types of shower chairs out there. My shower is fairly small so I purchased this one which is zero percent fancy, but there’s some really nice ones out there if you have the space.

Change the temperature

As much as many of us love steaming hot showers, it’s better to take a lukewarm one. That way the temperature range is much kinder to your body and you’re less likely to feel dizzy or sweaty.

Take a bath

This is probably my favorite solution, though it doesn’t work if you’re in a hurry. Taking a bath can still make me hot and dizzy if I’m not careful, but it’s better when I’m lying down. Plus, it’s just more relaxing for my body. I put in a few epsom salts and light a candle if I’m feeling fancy. It does great things for my painful muscles.

Treat depression

There’s a lot of shame and stigma about depression and Fibromyalgia. Medical professionals tend to act like having Fibro and mental health issues means that the mental health issues caused the pain, and not the other way around.

It’s okay to treat your depression, that doesn’t mean Fibromyalgia is all in your head. If you need medication, take it and don’t feel guilty or ashamed.

Skip the shower

Sometimes you just can’t shower because you don’t have the energy for it. Showering just takes so much from you, and it’s easy to use other solutions such as dry shampoo and cleansing wipes. That is completely okay and it’s very unlikely that anyone will notice.

Overall, there are ways to make showering with Fibromyalgia easier, but if you can’t do it some days that’s okay.

 

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*Fibromyalgia and Depression. Gracely, Richard. Ceko, Marta. Bushnell, Catherine. US National Library of Medicine Institutes of Health.