Cold exposure Patient Views

Does hot / cold exposure fit into this category? I find warm baths and cold showers helpful. So get back into hot bath after a spell under cold shower, or alternate hot/cold in the shower. I was told by a pain physio that it's not advised whilst in pain, so good for fatigue and other symptoms, if you're able to move/pacing needs etc.

Hi there Cold rinses at the end of warm showers really help my symptoms for a few hours after. I think it's important to start small and build up tolerance. It is a stress to the system (the cold shock) but the reduction in pain/weakness/fatigue is worth it! And something free to try. Good luck 👍

So I have actually started doing some cold water dips and showers and I'm enjoying it. I am feeling pretty good at the moment though and can tolerate it well, it's not something I want to do when I don't feel well. The main benefit I notice is that my hr comes down a bit afterwards. I also find it refreshing.

Yes I read the 'Wim Hof' (ice man) method and did the breathing and the cold showering (with the app). I did not like the breathing, but I still shower cold in the end. It hasn't increased my load capacity during the day, but I do feel less tired from showering, which is an energy drain for me.

The mental hurdle gets easier as you go in. Since it’s a sustained dopamine release your body will start to crave the cold plunges. The hardest part is starting.

Last spring and summer I did this in a waterfall nearby (it’s at the top of a mountain so it’s incredibly cold all seasons). I got hit with nasty PEM a few times so I stopped but I think if I tried again I would just do really short dips. That would be my biggest word of caution.

Thanks for feedback. I definitely noticed a heightened sensitivity to cold as well. I live in NY. So dreading the winter. I pushed myself to perform thermal cycling at a Nordic spa near Ottawa, Canada and about died (not literally) but was extremely difficult to transition from cold to hot atmospheres. But was told it’s good for you 🤷‍♂️

I recently started taking “cold plunges” too. I have a tub outside (stock tank) with a homemade lid and do 15 minute dips every other day. I think it helps a little- only been doing this for about 2 weeks but it hasn’t triggered PEM! (I also don’t exert myself on days I plunge). I get the water to about 60°f. I know true “cold plungers” get the water colder but I haven’t built up to that yet and don’t know if I will.

I just set up a stock tank for cold plunges and yesterday alternated lying in the sun (raises heart rate) with cold plunges (lowers heart rate) and I felt great afterwards. Going to try to keep it up as the weather gets cooler to see how it goes.

When I started, I found it helpful to end my showers with a very short blast of cold water. And at first I didn't even use cold water, just slightly less warm than the actual hot shower.

Eventually after a week or two, I was able to tolerate the absolute coldest water that will come out of my tap (which is right around 58 degrees fahrenheit).

In the beginning I could only handle like 10-15 seconds. But within another 2 weeks I was able to comfortably (maybe comfortably isn't the right word, but I could handle it lol) tolerate that 58-degree water for a full 90 seconds.

It definitely does get easier over time. The more you force yourself to "push through the cold" the easier it will be every time after that.

Yes! Well. Not necessarily cold therapy. But I only noticed the benefits of cold water at a certain point of my recovery (when my body was less fragile). I noticed it when I was on holidays, with lots of resting of course, and I really liked having dips in the cold sea. I noticed it lowered my heart rate. Then my partner got me a cheap pool in the garden to have dips in and I have to say it's really really nice. However doesn't really work in the shower, then it just lowers my heart rate but is not very calming. Now I stopped monitoring my heart rate and go by feeling, and now being in cold water outdoors just feels super nice and calming. The combo of the water and nature really makes me happy and has a relaxing effect. Recently I was out in the sea and I just felt my symptoms disappear for a while. It really fits well in my "new approach" of monitoring less and feeling more if that makes sense. If I would do it as a therapy with the intention of reaching a certain goal it wouldnt work as well. Don't know if this makes sense :)