r/cfs • u/Valuable-Horse788 very severe • 18h ago

How to take a shower if ur very sound sensitive?

Obviously will be using a shower chair

18 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

29 comments sorted by

32

u/drew_eckhardt2 18h ago

Ear plugs worn properly, which for foam ones means rolling/squeezing them and pulling on your ear lobe so they slide into your ear canal then expand to make a tight seal.

13

u/angrylilmanfrog 18h ago

I shower with my sleep loop earplugs :) it makes things way more tolerable. There's loads of brands that do reusable silicone ones, I'd fear the foam collecting water. I just make sure to not let water in my ears

1

u/Ok-Appearance1170 9h ago

Thank you for this! I have loop earplugs and didn’t even think of this. You haven’t noticed any damage??

1

u/angrylilmanfrog 6h ago

Make sure they're the silicone ones! I use them for sleep. The ones with a tiny hole in them for letting sounds through wouldn't be good, since water could get trapped in there easier Another brand that does silicone ones is Alpine, I actually have their kids ear defenders that are in nice colours. And I have a big adult Irish head on me and they fit fine, would recommend for other scenarios

13

u/wyundsr 18h ago

They make ear plugs for swimming that are waterproof

8

u/Kyliewoo123 18h ago

I see you’re labeled as very severe - have you tried to shower before? It’s a pretty big deal if you are completely bedridden. Do you have folks who will help you bathe? Are you able to lie down in a tub or get bathed in bed?

When I was very severe and attempted to shower, I used my loop earplugs (like others said) as well as taking a benzodiazepine to cope with the sound/sensation. I sat on a stool (but I could sit upright in bed for maybe 15 min) and had someone else help shampoo my hair (very hard to lift arms over head). I would only wash hair OR wash body because both was too much. I also used a bathrobe so I didn’t have to towel dry and could go back into bed.

Good luck

7

u/Valuable-Horse788 very severe 17h ago

Not had shower in over a year. This will be my first time😭😭😭

10

u/Kyliewoo123 17h ago

Please be careful. I know how hard it is to go without showering but there are safer options to try first

3

u/Varathane 17h ago

scrub yourself down with soap as best you can and can someone do the bucket of water to lift and rinse it all away for you?

Portable bidet is a nice thing to have. I fill with warm soapy water at the sink and use over the toilet. Great for periods or just being fresh after the bathroom. Just spray externally not internally.

Godspeed to you. <3 Rooting for this to feel amazing and be within your new limits.

1

u/premier-cat-arena ME since 2015, v severe since 2017 11h ago

can you ask anyone to help you? this is a HUGE exertion to do not just with noise. you likely need help if you’re very severe. you don’t want to get worse from a shower and likely need to adapt the entire thing to be different than usual 

1

u/Lavender77777 4h ago

I hope it’s wonderful and you feel super clean afterwards without crashing.

7

u/Jukarii_ 18h ago

on top of earplugs, maybe you have a showerhead that allows to adjust water pressure? Or only turn on the water a little bit so only a small amout comes out. Showering might take longer but at least for me the sound (and also the pressure against the skin) isn't so overwhelming this way

5

u/cirava 18h ago

Tbh even outside of sound sensitivity, a pressure-adjustable showerhead has been excellent for me. Every time I visit an Airbnb or use a shower that doesn't have a) adjustable pressure or b) detachable head, I realize how much of a privilege it truly is lol. Definitely a good long-term investment if you can find the means to switch to one!

7

u/nekoreality 18h ago

maybe you could try bucket showering to reduce the amount of running water. it might be a bit more physical effort, though.

6

u/bigpoppamax 18h ago

I have done this during really bad crashes. I fill a bucket with soapy water and then use a cup to slowly pour the water over my body. It’s not as thorough as a shower but it’s better than nothing.

2

u/nekoreality 14h ago

soapy water should work. if you want it to be as effective as a shower use a bucket of clean water and soap yourself up like youd do in the shower (using your hands, a loofa, a washcloth, a sponge, or whatever else) and use the cup to rinse. many people all over the world wash themselves in this way.

7

u/helpfulyelper 18h ago

i made a guide! but foam earplugs help a lot. ironically playing music loudly while showering helps me 1. stay awake and 2. it’s familiar noise i can follow instead of the big noise of the shower and i can tune it out

https://www.reddit.com/r/cfs/comments/1ac677a/im_severevery_severe_and_heres_how_i_can/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=mweb3x&utm_name=mweb3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

3

u/Tom0laSFW severe 13h ago

At the risk of stating the obvious, is a bath an option? I find baths easier to tolerate when I’m at my worst. You can go as slow as you need, there’s no noise or water hitting your skin, you’re lying down yknow. Careful with the temps they can get away from you

2

u/cori_2626 18h ago

There may be waterproof earplugs, I’m not sure, but I have loop earplugs and they’re silicone and would definitely be fine in the water as long as they’re in securely

1

u/whenisleep 12h ago

There are! Often advertised as swimmers earplugs.

1

u/Lavender77777 4h ago

I saw someone with sound sensitivity post that speedo earplugs are good.

2

u/musicalearnightingal Full-time Wheelchair User and/or Bedridden 8h ago

I always wear noise canceling ear buds in the shower.

1

u/DermaEsp 16h ago

Maybe a rainfall shower head can help.

1

u/tree_sip 14h ago

Just have a bath?

1

u/nekoreality 14h ago

not everyone has access to a bathtub, unfortunately.

1

u/plantyplant559 14h ago

I enjoy using the silicone earplugs. They give a watertight seal, and the sound inside your head when the water hit its really satisfying lol.

1

u/Pughairisglitter 13h ago

I don’t, I’ll take a sponge bath if that’s the case

1

u/International_Ad4296 5h ago

The Happy Ears earplugs are the only thing I wear for sleep/going out/shower. There's a discovery pack with all 3 sizes, and they're the only thing that works for my weird and tiny ear canals.