Pool therapy & water temp
 

Hello All,

I was hoping that maybe someone might have any tips or things that have worked to keep the CRPS limb warm in a pool that is causing increased pain due to temp. Our local pool is only 85 degrees and is causing a huge increase in pain during and after use. I really want to continue this therapy but, I also don't want to increase meds in order to combat the after affects. The first pool session was just on Wednesday and I hadn't really gotten pain under control before trying again today and now WHAM I am struggling to keep composure. This makes me so sad.. anyone else out there that has experienced this or found something that made it doable?

Thanks in advance,
Tessa

Sorry you're having such a rough time at the moment Tessa...

I can't think of any way of protecting yourself from the water temperature if it's causing you pain because it's too cold :confused: I had some physio in a nice warm pool around the time my CRPS was diagnosed, and even that hurt sometimes - since the CRPS I just can't bear cold water, and I just have to not go in colder pools. I'm lucky to have a warmer pool nearby (although sadly the price is too rich for me at the moment), but if I had no other choice than a cold pool I still couldn't do it. Even the buoyancy of the water and ability to do more exercise just isn't worth the pain and risk of spread.

I'd say just don't do it. That horrible level of pain is your body shouting at you to stop, and it's definitely worth listening. Try to find a warmer pool (most will tell you their temp if you ring and ask) or just talk to your doc/physio - physios tend to know where warmer pools are, or can discuss an alternative therapy for you.

Take care, and I hope your pain gets more manageable very soon, its horrible when you just can't get away from it...

Bram.

Thanks Bram,

So I think maybe I have found a couple of ways to combat the effects. First I went out yesterday and purchased legging style rash guards like surfers wear. It is not as heavy as a wetsuit but I am hoping it will create just enough added warmth. The other issue I was having is that while kicking or walking in the water the pressure from the water on my thigh is also causing increase in the electrical lightning shocks down my leg. I am hoping that the light compression of the leggings will prove to be beneficial with that issue. I think the edema in my leg gets pushed around by the water or at least that is my theory. When I got home yesterday after my swim I got into the hot tub and this did help settle things a bit. Afterwards, I applied the medicated compound cream and by 9PM things were finally at a manageable pain level.

It would be so nice to have a warmer pool near by but, even this pool I went to was a 40 min drive each way in the summer and up to an hour or more in the winter. We may just have to find a way to gather enough funds to install one of those endless swim spa's.

Living in the mountains where snow flies early and stays well into June most years, might really wreak havoc on me since the onset of CRPS II. I am brainstorming daily on how I will keep my leg warmer so that I can enjoy all the many things we do in the winter for fun. Not ready to give up yet or think about moving.. must find solutions.

My doctor just signed off on my hunting/fishing disability card so that my sweet husband can assist me and we can drive on roads we would normally walk during hunting season. This will be a huge help in keeping my legs warm and allow me to be part of this years season. Trying to find my new normal.. and adjust without giving up!

Again thank you Bram for your input and kindness,
Tessa:hug:

I'll be interested to hear how you get on with the leggings, I know what you mean about the swelling too, I swear I could feel it moving in the water when I tried to walk forwards.

A warm endless swim spa is my dream....:rolleyes: oh well...

Here in the UK the darned weather is constantly changing, and mostly seems to like being damp and chilly - the CRPS definitely doesn't like it, and given the funds I would move somewhere warmer with a more stable temperature straight away! I hate feeling so cold and miserable all through the cold months, with our recent heatwave I've realised how much happier my leg is when it's warmer - bit of a shock how much difference it made. Nice at the time, but it makes you come back down to earth with a bump when it goes colder again.

Good luck with it all, that positive attitude of yours is a great weapon in the fight!

Bram.

I did aquatherapy for a bit and was scheduled to start again except insurance took so long to get the referral in that my dr was sent to another base. The water temp should be between 96 and 106 degrees. Usually that's good, but not always. I didn't get much relief from the therapy although it did help a tiny bit with muscle atrophy. The water was just too cool for me evidently. I wish they were able to schedule me separately from others so they could raise the temp but they couldn't. There were just too many people doing the aqua therapy for me to have separate sessions. :cool: I hope this helps some. I am going to start working on getting back into aqua therapy when I move and seeing if any place is able to raise the temp for me.

Thanks Allanira,

I don't know if you read above where I mentioned the surfer type capris? These are great - they add an extra layer of warmth and even protect my legs from just the pressure of the water while walking or swimming. They are uncomfortable to put on/take off but so is most other clothing for me so I just get through it. Afterwards it has been helpful to me to either sit in a hot tub or just soak in a warm epsom salt bath.

I know you mentioned aqua therapy didn't help much but I would think even just water walking would be great for you and your baby? I honestly do it for the benefit it provides to my joints (especially my failing hips) and for the mental benefit.. I don't do it expecting the CRPS II symptoms or pain to be relieved much by it :(

I do hope you find a pool that works for you!

Thanks again for your input,
Tessa

I wish they had a separate pool or hot tub for us that was warmer. I don't even go to the indoor pools at the gym anymore cause it hirts. Well everything hurts right now. Wish I was further along in my pregnancy for little one to come but he's not ready lol. Then I could start back on my meds and hopefully get relief from them. ;)

I am assuming because it is still around 100 here, I'm not having any problems. Our pool is between 90-95 I suppose. It doesn't bother me too much. My sensitivity was never as bad some though. Except now that it's in my back. That's fun to dress for. Ha! In fact, sometimes the pool room is so stuffy it kills my asthma. The funny thing for me is, I can barely walk on land. In chest deep water, I can walk with a little balance problem. Anyway, it's going to be in the 90s for the next 10 days here. I have terrible cold intolerance. That's why I guess it's good I live in Texas. I wear jackets and blankets when its 70. Anyway, that as probably a very roundabout way to say my pool's warm lol.

TK

Congratulations!!! I love little babies. One of my babies was 13 yesterday and my youngest is 10. So mine are 14,13, and 10. Time flies!!

TK

:)
:hug:

In my neighborhood in Tucson, we had two heated pools, getting in took some doing and once I was in though, the heat was nice. What was intolerable was getting out and having my skin feel that cooling burn. It made me sick to my stomach. The pool was two doors down and across the street, but it was awful getting out and getting home. Before RSD, I swam laps every day. That was my time to meditate and de stress. I miss the water so much.

I hesitate to say this because I'm in the Uk, and things might be different for you over the pond :rolleyes: but there are some privately run hydrotherapy/aqua therapy pools around, a couple near me - and I'm in the sticks really as far as big towns etc goes. The only reason I don't go is cost, but it's nowhere near as pricey as I thought. I rang and enquired, and they said the main pools are kept much warmer than normal, and they heat the whole building exactly because their clients hate the chill when stepping out. When I did do hydrotherapy, they kept towels by the pool edge to put round us as soon as we got out, and I took my own towelling robe after a while because that was even cosier!

It might be worthwhile having a look on the web, or asking at other therapy places like chiropractors, herbalists, massage places, beauty salons etc. they usually know where the privately run places are - they aren't always big advertisers, usually because they don't need to. I had to stop going to hydro because I was only allowed a prescribed period of time on the NHS, and after that it's pay or don't go. I couldn't pay so I don't go :rolleyes:

Good luck, and I hope you can find somewhere - if it really helps then its worth pushing for if you possibly can.

Bram.

The only private run ones we have will be at a gym for rehab center for addiction. The places they send us for therapy are normal everyday pt places that don't have the facilities to have a pool.. its rotten but there it is.

pool therapy
 

hello zookester...I have been diagnosed with hypersensitivity of the central nervous system, I am not happy with this diagnosis you can read my bio and tell me if you had an of my experiences...as for the POOL..i have taught aqua fitness for many years and now I totally depend on it to keep me moving...if the days the water is cooler I take a shower with the water as warm as I can stand that day and even use a heating pad on my legs that are affected the most...try this I find it soothing!
tg

Hi . I had the same problems with the water temp at my aquatherapy sessions, so I had to stop. It hurt going into the pool. It was so cold and we asked to raise it, but it still wasn't warm enough for me. I loved it so much but had to stop because of the pain it caused with the water temp. The exercises were helpful though. I also had to get two surgeries done for a complete hysterectomy so I couldn't continue until my staples were taken out and I healed. but I decided not to go back though after that because of the cold water. I hope you can find a pool now that's warm enough. I don't have any other places around here to go. I try to go on short walks in the nice weather. I won't go out in icy and bad weather anymore for fear I will fall again and break anther bone and aggravate the rsd. I also do a home exercise program that pt gave me. It's not as nice as the pool but it's better than nothing. I used to love to swim and go to the beach, but those days are over for me now because of the cold. Plus I can't stay out the sun because it makes my skin blister even with sunscreen because of the rsd. It stinks but I have to accept it. Take care and hope you have a good night.

I live in NM you would think the water would be warm in an outside pool but guess again lol. My in laws have a pool I got into once but not again unless the temp is reading around 120 lol. I think a lot of the meds cause sun sensitivity. I used to swim all the time and lay out and play in the sun. No more. Good thing I do have the inlaws because I can ask them to take goober boy out to play till his brother is older then I will be sitting on the porch watching them. Wishing I could go out and play too. I wish there was a way we could afford a deep hot tub that I could do exercises in but thats a no go unless I found one for $20 lol. I am going to look into aqua therapy when I move back to MY home and see what temp they keep it at and if they will raise it for when when I come in. If not then I will be wearing my floors down with walking and then laying on the floor to do other rom exercises. I have never liked cold weather.

Allanira,

120??? was this a typo or can you really stand it that hot?

The hotter the better to me lol. Just keep the iced chamomile tea coming and I am a happy camper. Even as a kid I didn't do well in the cold. I like tomsay im like my ball python in that cold sends me into hibernation lol. Plus now with this beast riding me its worse lol. Think of a giant pack of chihuahuas hanging onto your leg and nipping and barking. Annoying. :eek: Every year I say im gonna go to South America to get away from the cold yet I never do lol. Any temp below 70 and I want to curl up in a dark warm hole till the temps start rising again. We had a nasty blizzard last February and I didnt leave the house till all the snow was gone and we were the last house on base to have any snow lol.

Lol! I thought that too zook :eek:

I love chamomile tea too Allanira....I love the fact at it is delicious whether it is hot or left to go stone cold :winky:

I long to have a hot tub....;) Every now and then I mooch round a few hoping to goodness a sale sign has a realistic figure for me.....like £20 lol. Not yet, but I remain hopeful. Haha.

So far I'm ok in the sun if I'm covered up in nice loose cool clothing, have plenty of lotion on and stay in the shade as much as possible. Oh and wear a hat. And don't wear anything contstricting on my left side or either foot. ;) When we were on holiday this summer I could paddle quite happily in shallow warm waves, but anything really cold was a definite no, I wouldn't even consider getting into an outdoor pool unless I could see steam rising from it!

Bram.

ah okay. I understand the pain of cold intimately.. it is 34 here this morning brrrrrrrrr. My husband was so sweet and stoked up the fire and brought me in plenty of wood :) Last year I had a heck of a time managing bringing in wood while on crutches.. what a sight that was! Although I differ in that I have spent more time out enjoying activities in cold weather like skiing and mountain climbing for as long as I can remember. It breaks my heart to think that I might not be able to enjoy these things ever again.. I haven't given up yet and will go down fighting but, the reality is dangling in front of me.

For me the pain gets worse when the temps change to much in either direction. The heat is far more tolerable though even at extremes. Planning a trip to Hawaii in Feb. but if our weather stays in these temps much longer and I can't figure out how to ease its effects then I may move that trip up!

I know you mentioned how far you were along some time ago but I have forgotten.. do you mind sharing?

See you know what I mean Bram lol. I went into the water a couple of times at the shore in England. That water was COLD! Lol at least to me it was. My friend and his dog went in no problem. If I could find a hot tub for cheap I would get it. I know what you mean by steam on the water of pools there. My husband brought me some water last night while I soaked out my "chills" and the inflammation and hopefully a little of the pain and he couldn't breathe with how much steam and heat was in there lol. I like heat. I haven't really had a problem with the sun. But im also not on any treatments for another 14 wks at least. I will go out in the sun for a bit but I have to have that leg covered. It sucks when I can't enjoy the sun like I use to. My legs are as white as my socks and I bleach them lol. I used to love hiking around in the mountains also and dragging my poor dog that hated it ( she loved the smells and flat parts but not the up or down hill). I WILL do that this summer. Take both my boys up and make sure I have someone with me so we are safe. Ah a new adventure. I think thats how I am going to think of this disease. A new adventure. See what I can push myself to do. Thanks guys yall just gave me a good idea and frame of mind.

Zook, I'm not sure if you're asking me :D but I'll answer just in case lol... I started the CRPS pain-train in August 2011, so I'm just starting my third year (crumbs, is that all?!).

Yesterday, I was looking up the places in the world with the most stable barometric pressures and thus the 'sweet spots' for those suffering with an illness affected by them..... Hawaii was on there! So I hope you can get there quickly....

Interestingly, I saw that northern Europe is considered one of the worst places, with some wild swings in pressure within the space of 24 hours.... 'oooohh' I thought, lucky old me! :rolleyes: Explains a lot....

Bram.

Zoo to answer your question I'll be 26 wks on Saturday. Its a heck of a ride let me tell you. I went into almost full remission with my eldest and this little dude not so much. I have good days and bad just like everyone else. Yesterday was bad but could only take 1 norco for the pain. All the crps treatments are cat c for pregnancy even norco but my drs said I could take a little every now and then to keep the pain at a tolorable point. If my husband had this he would have been hospitalized for the pain I had yesterday. I can't though because of this little boy. We all do what we have to do with this disease. I did take a nice hot epsom salt soak though lol. I don't hurt as bad today but won't take a norco unless I have to. I can't take tylenol because I have developed too high of a tolerance for it. I wish they could bottle up pregnancy hormones and inject people lol. They are a natural analgesic for pain while pregnant. They also make your joints and muscles loosen up, but then your also prone to back and hip problems lol. Now to get through the rest of this pregnancy with as little problems as I can lol. Keep smiling people.:grouphug: