Hot Baths
 

There's tons of new research on mTBI coming out. We all should be aware that there can be confounding factors at time of injury, like hyperthermia. Not only is the concussed brain more vulnerable to insults, but so too is the victim of heat exhaustion.

I notice research shows that hypothermia (cooling) is therapeutic for TBI but this appears to apply to the severe form.

Can ANYONE comment on the riskiness of hot baths for mTBI sufferers. . what is the limiting temperature (eg,99.6?) Can the brain have a different temperature from the usual tongue measurement? Is the mTBI brain inflamed?

I don't know about the tongue measurement idea. Are you meaning an under the tongue thermometer ? Done properly under the tongue, it should be a reasonably accurate internal temperature.

But, if the hot tub causes one to sweat on their face, that would be a concern to me.

Seriously, another thing to worry about. I enjoy my hot showers.

I don't think a hot shower can heat up the body and head near as much as a hot tub. I enjoy a hot shower, too, and have never noticed an issue. When I have tried hot tubs, especially really hot tubs, I have notice some struggles after.

When I was on leave living with my parents I took relatively hot epsom salt baths pretty regularly, and usually felt better afterwards. They weren't super hot, but I'm sure were sometimes hot enough to make my face sweat a little. If I got uncomfortable I just added cold water.

Yep
 

You can definitely overheat yourself in a bath, unlike a shower. I use the thermometer so I don't really have to attend to things like sweating and the like. Baths, and hot tubs, can really be deceptive because you feel so good most of the time. People have gotten sick, even died. 104 degrees (F) is the critical danger point.

I just read a paper that found that mild TBI brains are actually COOLER than average, believed due to reduced metabolism. But I just wondered how high should I go, like 99.6 was the limit I've been using.

It's also well known that mTBI brains don't metabolize glucose as effectively. Perhaps this is why it's better to eat round the clock. Maybe mTBI people should have their glucose uptake measured, it could help pinpoint where they are in recovery etc.

I find that a hot shower can irritate the nerves in my neck and set off symptoms. The same for going out when it's cold, I have to wear a warm hat to cover my head and upper neck, or else it certainly will irritate my injury.

Brown,

After I got hit I became cold all the time....really cold.

Laying on the concrete sidewalk on a 100 degree day feels so good to my deep insides. The only repercussions to a hot bath or shower for me is to stop shivering and that I don't mind one bit.

I think they missed me as a study participant.

Bud

I Believe It
 

Bud,

Brain damage can produce just about anything -- you name it. My emotions do the craziest things now. Sometimes tense, occasionally desperate, sometimes normal, sometimes so sweet and peaceful (I believe that's the hypoth. response to the anxiety) you just wish it never to end . . sometimes too complex to describe.

I've been through slow healing processes before (hip labral tear) but with most healing, it follows a linear course. I half-expected that here but it hasn't done that (I also got hit on the head again though, can't rule that out) at all . . here I am at six weeks now and I can't say I'm any better, but for sure there's some kind of ongoing, mysterious process, exactly as Mark says. I see lots of examples here.

Brown,

Hang in there....it WILL turn around for you.

BUD

I love to get into my bathtub and I heat my water to 40 degrees Celsius, wich I just looked up, is about 104 degrees Farenheit.
While in the tub (minimum one hour) the water cooles down to 37 degrees, that feels way to cold for me

I haven't had any issues using our hot tub (104 degrees). I usually stretch, do lunges and row in the hot tub for 20-30 minutes and always feel better afterwards. Never thought the high temp could be a problem with PCS.


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I love hot showers, they relax my computer neck muscles and I assumed improved blood flow. I've heard cooling the body can be beneficial in some brain injury but the temperature has to be dangerously low. I guess just use common sense regarding temperature.

PCS can cause autonomic disturbances so body temperature regulation, pulse rate and breathing can be affected. This is controlled mainly by the brainstem so a whiplash type injury could do this. For many months I had a problem with overheating while sleeping, I'd wake drenched in sweat, and even now my pulse has only just gone back to where it was before my injury.

Thanks
 

Actually a study showed that mild TBI brains are cooler than normal. 104 degrees! And you get away with it?

If you each would, please direct me to where your stories,updates etc. are threaded.

Super E,

Interesting mention about the pulse.

My blood pressure went up 20 points post injury. Sometime between a doc appt in November and another in December it dropped back to my historical figure where t remains....16 months post injury.

Heads sure take the cake for strange recovery.

Bud