I had started this subject under potty mouth. Someone, more awake that I, pointed out this is enough of a topic all by itself. What hints have you learned in caring for yourself that we might all learn from.
Sometimes when my arms are acting up I wash my hair in the kitchen sink using the spray attachment. If I am really in pain and my hair is disgusting I use a dry spray shampoo. The interesting side effect I noticed was my hair looks thicker and more styled when I brush out the dry shampoo. Who knew! I was initially leery about dry shampoo. I remembered the grey mess it made of hair in the 70s. It has come a long way Baby since then!
I was having a terrible time with PsA in my knees and ankles. I did not realize that the osteo arthritis in my knees became PsA in time. My doctor explained to me just as psoriasis will bloom where there is an injury to the skin so will PsA bloom where there is injury (osteo arthritis) in a joint. It even has a fancy name, Koebner effect I think is it's name.
Anyway I was having more and more trouble shaving my knees. I discovered if I used shave cream and an elevated razor like Venus Breeze I left more skin where it belonged.
I have noticed that I have less energy and really have to force myself to get a bath or shower... feeling sorry for myself and wallow in the pain.....
It does help me immensely... if I have a lot of time.... then I just focus on myself - you know, shower, hair care, nails, lotion, etc.. It does actually help make you feel better, with a boost of energy...
Putting my shoes on now - is even a chore..i have to put a toe cushion between my big toe and the next one.. I had a bunionectomy on my big toe in November - and with it being straightened some by the surgery - it put pressure on the other toe - and to keep it from rubbing on each other... the cushion makes it feel so much better.
Karen
It does take up a lot of time and energy doesn't it. I try to break it up where possible. Sometimes I take a hot bath with Epsom Salt and can cross pain relief and cleanliness off my list with one chore! Then I was my hair that afternoon or the next day. I found a brush and dryer that can be held in one hand at Wallmart. It looks like a big round brush with a dryer build inside. Makes doing hair easier. I wear compression socks and gloves but they can be work to put them on. Sometimes I shove them in my pocket to put on later after a break. I have discovered products that do more than one thing, tinted moisturizers or CC creams, tinted lip balm, etc. And my very favorite for really bad days clothes I can sleep in and head wraps!
For me washing my hair is tough because my hands hurt so much. I have no solutions so far.
Drying my hair was tough so I bought an even smaller travel dryer with a more comfortable handle. It weighs about a pound, but is as powerful as a big dryer.
Holding a small razor handle was tough so I bought a new electric razor similar to one I had a few years ago (I was using manual razors for a year after my electric razor died). I rarely have energy to shave AND shower; the electric razor lets me shave whenever I have energy and a few minutes.
I cut most of my hair off last year, and it was a great decision. It takes me minutes to “do” now and I can go a few days without washing. If I feel good, I can spend the 5 minutes to fix it and make it pretty, or if not, I can put a few pins in it and it looks great. I’m also developing a hat collection. Newsboys and Cloche style hats look great and give me an extra day on the washing if I feel terrible.
I have a shower stool that is a lifesaver. I find that if I don’t bathe, I feel so much worse. So even if I’m in tears, I need to get in there. This is only for the worst days. I like to do as much as I can on my own.
I have found during severe flares I have to fight to get a shower. And a bath is challenging as I struggled to climb in and out of the tub. So I had heavy duty hand hold bars installed so I could get better leverage and have multiple ways to maneuver depending upon what hurts most. It does feel so much better to stay clean. At the absolute worst, I resort to large bath wipes. They are similar to wet ones but much larger. I too was also pleased to find that the rinse-less shampoo is better than I expected.
Another issue was brushing my teeth. I have an ultrasonic electric toothbrush. But some days it isnt easy to hold or manipulate. And I have had trouble squeezing toothpaste. To make it easier to stay on top of dental hygiene, I stage disposable mini-brushes like Colgate Wisps in convenient locations. They are small and very light which makes them easy to use when my hands and wrists are an issue. And they have a small dab of toothpaste at the center of the brush & a small pick opposite the brush end. So there is no need to walk to a sink or squeeze the toothpaste tube. Not a substitute for regular brushing but definitely a short term fix.
When I am unable to floss (like right now) due to extreme hand issues, I see my dentist every 2 months for a cleaning. My dentist office has a few people with more complex health needs who come in every month. My dentist is really up on autoimmune disease and understands how oral health and overall inflammation are interconnected. I don't want anything messing up my PsA potentially improving, certainly not oral inflammation.
Laura E D said:
Sounds like a brilliant addition to a lunchbox as well! Mints only go so far with coffee breath...any hot tips on making flossing easier? Sore, clumsy hands mean that I go through phases of pretty much giving up. I've come across a handful of papers relating dental hygiene/mouth bacteria with inflammatory arthritis (mostly RA) so I'm aware that it is probably better to still keep trying.
I’m the worse at washing, styling my hair. My hair is naturally curly and long. When I don’t feel up to like really doing it I don’t get it wet and put it in a messy bun. I wear clips and bows and headbands in my hair sometimes. My hair is on the dryer side so it hardly gets greasy.
On days when I wear it down I usually just air dry it, my arms get way too tired from a blow dryer.
I have a bath nearly everyday, it’s really the only thing that helps my back and ankles. Then when I’m all loose and ready to go I rinse off in the shower.
I’ve gotten stuck a few times in the bathtub, it’s pretty embarrassing to be 29 and that to happen to you.
This isn’t really hygiene but I like to wear pink blush and pink lipstick. I find it makes me look a lot more awake and “healthy”
It is a chore for me to take a shower sometimes. I get very tired. When I can't shower I will use a dry shampoo and just wash off with baby wipes. Today I was thinking about how I no longer care about my appearance. I was looking at an older picture thinking how much better I looked before all these health issues. Now I am usually in yoga pants and a loose tshirt, no makeup, hair not fixed, etc. I try to keep my skin moisturized with natural stuff. I haven't had any real psoriasis outbreaks on my skin. Just mild flaking.
On the oral hygiene front, I had already mentioned small portable brushes like Colgate Wisps
But I forgot to mention the listerine pocketpaks, small strips of dissolving mouth wash. They are suppose to have antibacterial properties like the liquid and are easier to tote and stash.
Biotene gum works for on the go, and the oral rinse, which you can get in purse / pocket size really helps. Dry mouth can increase oral inflammation, mess up the pH of your mouth, and contribute to cavities. Biotene helps with all of these. If you can’t brush sometimes due to hand or jaw issues, Biotene helps keep your mouth healthy
I can always make my way into a hot shower or bath because i know it will make me feel better in the end. I don’t tolerate being stinky or greasy! (And I need to wash my hair daily to stop it being greasy)
Fiddly things like shaving and makeup though… Not in the middle of a flare! … Or even finding time for them when I am well is a real challenge
Best tip - similar to grumps - stool in the shower, toiletries shelf at the right height to be in easy reach when you are on the stool. And for when you do have time for shaving, the big male razors, like a Gillette Mach 3 - way the best!
I feel much better if I've showered and put on some "decent" clothes (i.e. gotten OUT of my yoga pants/sweatshirt or PJs) and the warm water ALWAYS makes me feel better. I think there's something to the psychology of doing basic hygiene and other rituals to help yourself feel better about yourself. I know from prior bouts of depression that simply having the "umph" to get in the shower can be a problem. But, like trying to exercise, taking care of ourselves is crucial to our long term well-being.
I do find hairdryers and brushes exhausting to use but I have short hair so I can usually tough it out for the three or four minutes it takes. And since we got a hot tub I do find myself showering/bathing less! Our bathroom is cold so we stuck a space heater in there and I will usually warm up the room before I go in so that once I get out of the shower or tub I don't get chilled (which seems to happen a lot more now I'm on Humira). Making a big deal out of taking a bath certainly helps me want to take one. Epsom salts are a given for the tub and I often set up my laptop so I can watch something while I'm soaking. Sometimes I have to ask for help getting out of the tub on days when I'm not feeling limber as we've got an old-fashioned claw foot tub that takes some maneuvering. Maybe I should set up a block and tackle!
To Sybil's point about using soap, I always heard that the ONLY three places you need soap are on the places that sweat (head, pits, crotch) and the rest really just needs rinsing off. I am careful about the products I use these days and try to go organic whenever possible. For my face, though, I have succumbed to the charms of my aesthetician and now buy a high-end line designed for sensitive skin that lasts about 4-5 months. I've noticed that it helps to control P outbreaks and it tends to keep my skin more balanced and less reactive to heat and light. I find the foot soaks in nail salons irritate my toenails so I don't get pedicures so if I could only find a way to more comfortably put polish on my toenails!