Showering when you have multiple sclerosis can be very difficult, painful, and exhausting. In addition, you may have heat sensitivities or trouble closing your eyes while in the shower. Due to this, you will most likely need to arrange your shower to accommodate your MS symptoms.
When choosing your shower unit, the first thing to consider is how weak and numb your legs can get when you have MS. It may be difficult for you even walk to the bathroom. Be sure to compensate for this by installing handrails throughout your bathroom that you can lean on should you need to.
Standing for long periods of time is also difficult for people with MS. You may start to sway, or your legs could start spasming. This can become a hazard in a shower environment, where the floor is wet and slick. Similarly, getting into a bathtub can feel immensely difficult, and you will want to avoid having to step over one at all costs.
Another facet of showering while having MS that is important to think about is that extreme cold and hot can exacerbate your MS symptoms. In fact, one test used to determine whether or not you had MS was by immersing someone in hot water to see if their symptoms flared up. Lukewarm or cold showers can also be uncomfortable. Therefore, any sort of temperature fluctuation for people with MS should be undertaken with caution.
Other things you might want to consider in terms of your shower setup are purchasing grips for the inside of the shower, a shower seat, and looking for a shower that doesn’t have high walls. It is also essential to have effective bath mats and other rugs on the floor to reduce your chances of slipping.
Try to begin your shower as quickly as possible to avoid unnecessarily subjecting yourself to even more temperature changes.
You can also look into installing temperature-stabilizing heating and cooling systems in your bathroom, like an air conditioner or heater. For example, if you are set on taking baths, start with a core bath of room-temperature water and then add cooler water every twenty to thirty minutes. This can also be a good idea to try after a warm shower to help stabilize your body temperature.
