Has anyone had any experience with using public Steam Rooms and Saunas

[Genevieve11]

I joined a gym/health club that has a nice steam room that they infuse with essential oils, and they also have a big sauna. Basically I feel really tempted to try them out after a workout. Has anyone had any experience with public steam rooms and saunas? I'm 22 and have Cystic Fibrosis.

Thanks,
Genevieve

 

[TICMOMOFF1]

We were told by our specialist not to use anything like this for our daughter but then right after that he said no one should use them. they are not sanitized properly and can not be totally sanitized and be safe for anyone.

 

[azdesertrat]

As tempting as the sauna/steam room is, there is no way I would be willing to attempt enjoying that for myself. It just isn't worth the risk in my mind. My advice is probably worth just what you paid for it, but here it is...

 

[Tisha]

I've used them, in particular dry ones. The humid ones are a pretty dangerous breeding ground for all kinds of bugs and I feel they're a bit nasty when you think of it. I've never had a problem with dry saunas, even though my lung therapist is quite against anything that resembles a spa. I'd say, be careful and observant. Probably good to avoid the humid one, also the dry one if it's crowded. Most often I've used dry saunas being alone or almost alone in them. If people have colds, don't go in a sauna with them - but that's plain common sense. And then observe yourself: if you get worse in any way, quit it! But that's my personal thoughts on it. And it also depends how good your overall health is. -- In any case, don't forget to drink plenty of water AND salt after sweating!

 

[robbiekay]

our cf center compared sitting in public hot tubs like sitting in a bowl of bacteria soup which you are inhaling, ick I am not sure about saunas, but stay away from public hot tubs <3 I know they are so tempting, before we knew our son would always go hang out in the hot tub at our condo complex and kept getting lung infections we couldn't figure out why. We dont know if that was causing them, You how Cf is but the hot tub was the prime suspect.

 

[Juniper]

Only used them once various steam rooms you could use all afternoon great whilst using them but that night coughed up blood could be coincidence but not happened since

 

[AliceRiedywMp]

I had an experience with using public steam rooms and saunas and I can say that there are really a bodybuilding benefits in using Saunas like the infrared saunas that offers therapy in a huge range of health benefits, including treatment for sports injuries, joint and muscle complaints, and detoxification. To see more, please check: http://www.aqualinesaunas.co.uk/saunas.html

 

[BreathinSteven]

Hi Genevieve! It's great that you've joined a gym -- for us CFers, in particular, exercise and keeping active are vital to our overall health... I've heard a lot of the same things echoed by the folks above -- that we should NEVER use public hot tubs or steam rooms... I think you should approach your clinic for guidance and to explain why it would be ill-advised, or why it might be acceptable (given the reasoning above...)

I personally have been very lucky not to have contracted any issues from public steam rooms or hot tubs... I haven't really been in a steam room post transplant (15 years ago...), but I have been in a hot tub from time to time... I do make certain that they look well maintained (though, I know that you can't really see the critters we're concerned about...) I used to LOVE being in the steam / wet sauna -- it seemed to help me clear out, and relaxed me, my chest and my breathing... A part of me understood I was taking a risk -- but I also never experienced any ill effects...

If we choose to do something like this -- I think we have to be very cautious... And -- I think it's best to do it with our clinic's blessing and guidance... It was between 20-30 years ago when I was more actively using a wet sauna -- MRSA and CA-MRSA were not as commonly reported as they are now... Love, Steve