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Clothing & Allodynia Help
Does anyone else diagnosed with allodynia, have any suggestions about the type of clothing to wear so it won't be so painful, or what type of clothing brands are good for people with allodynia and won't irritate it.
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I started having odd clothes allergies about 30 years ago. Looking back, I think it is possible that my neuroendocrine tumors may have played a role in this. I was not diagnosed until 2020 but I was having unexplained issues long before that. I wear only 100% cotton clothes and I wear my shirts inside out because the outside is smoother than the inside. I also wash my clothes in mild laundry detergent and wash any new clothes 4 or 5 times before I wear then. I do not know if this is any help to you but it helps me. I still have the allergies but the symptoms are reduced somewhat. I hope you can find a solution that works for you.
My dermatologist gave me gabapentin but it doesn’t help a whole lot, I still have the pain with the clothes. But she also told me to use moisturizer for my dry skin and I’ve tried the moisturizer but I don’t know if I’ve been using it right. And I also have a topical steroid for dermatitis on my arms. With the moisturizer I don’t know if I should put it on in the shower or after the shower and what do I do when I don’t take a shower how do I put it on the right way.
What are the best fabrics that you guys have had in clothes? And what are the worst fabrics that irritate you? Are elastane and spandex one of them? Is elastane a fabric that’s rough and hard?
The absolute best fabric for me and my allodynia (PN) on my back is old silk. I have 2 old, very good quality silk camisoles that I can't live without. I did just buy some tank tops that I use as camis. They are from LL Bean and are 95% cotton and 5% spandex. They are okay if I'm having a good day, but not so great if the pain is bad. Still, better than just about any other fabric.
I am not familiar with elastane.
Maybe you could find some old silk camis or slips at a vintage clothing store, but it seems like it would be quite an effortful search. Really good new silk items are gonna be really spendy. You might find something in polyester or cotton/poly blends. I object to polyester because it is a plastic, and environmentally unsound, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.
I hope this helps. Best wishes to you.
Do you think dry skin can make allodynia worse? Or that severely dry skin pain can be misdiagnosed as allodynia? Also, is there a huge difference between allodynia or hyperethesia because sometimes I don’t know if it’s allodynia or hyperethesia even though my dermatologist thought it was allodynia but sometimes I wonder if it’s hyperethesia instead?
One thing I've learned is that it is very frustrating to second guess my doctors. Where did you hear about Hyperesthesia? Are you consulting "Dr. Google"? Based on what you have written, I would consult your dermatologist about the dry skin/allodynia connection and how/when to apply moisturizer. I don't have particularly dry skin on my back.
Like "flippo", I also wear my underclothes inside out. That way the seams are on the exterior and not rubbing my skin.
No my dermatologist did diagnose me with allodynia and dry skin
Sorry if I misunderstood. I still think you should talk to your doctor about your concerns.
Well i don’t know if this is a good thing. But im wearing the same clothes today that i wore yesterday and yesterday they were giving me such pain; but today it’s not bothering me.
I look for soft materials - synthetics, maybe Pima cotton, but tencel, modal and bamboo viscose mixes are best so I google clothing in these fabrics. I used to be ok with brushed cotton jeans but not any more.