To use a steam room when ill

[Professionallytorn]

I have a blocked nose and my asthma is awful. Meds/inhalers aren't helping much. Negative covid test. I have taken time off work for first time in years i feel so awful. Would it be wrong to use my gym's steam room - (not going in gym to exercise obvs) to see if it helps relieve symptoms?

Isn't this what the bowl of hot water and towel thing is for?

A steam room won't be anywhere near 100 degrees - you'd boil alive 🙈

I used to suffer from catarrh every flipping winter, used to be given Vic under steam, ended up with red sore nose and eyes. Then I had to have flu jabs and my incidents of getting colds reduced.

I have dry and sensitive eyes so those saying use a towel over your head can't realise it doesn't make everyone better. I had a facial steamer which I took in tge bathroom and steamed up in there. That helped.

I think the suggestions of towel & bowl of steaming water is an efficient method. I'm running a cool mist humidifier on in my bedroom overnight for the last week, it definitely is helping.

Having a nice steamy bath helps, or simply just just turning the hot water on in the shower for 5 minutes with the door closed. Then just sit in there and read a book or something for a little while. Little ginger tea with lemon wouldn't hurt either. Hope you feel better soon.

Steam rooms are usually around 45-50C, nowhere near 100C - if it was that hot, everyone in there would be seriously burned or killed.

Have you tried using a
neilmed sinus rinse?

Agree with previous posters. I don't think anyone is on fire. They are just telling you as it is. It would be a selfish action as it would be a gain for you at the cost of other people's health. Steam rooms are not hot enough to kill most contagious illnesses, they are moist and good at helping contagious increases survive for long in suspended water droplets that go in to people's lungs

I hope this makes sense why it is a selfish action to take. I hope no one else does this the next time you want to use a steam room

I steamed my head under a bowl and towel when I had a particularly nasty chest infection, and it made it worse. I have asthma too.

Believe it or not OP, COVID is not the only contagion out there.

Wherever the water vapour is generated will probably be pretty hot, but the room in general can't be hot enough to cause damage to viruses and bacteria in the time it takes to travel between people, because that would also be hot enough to cause damage to the cells you're made of. You can kill viruses and bacteria with heat, but it requires levels above body temperature for prolonged periods, say 70°C for 60 minutes to kill 99% of virus x (for example). If being in a hot steamy room prevented people's respiratory viruses being transmitted to others, I think hospitals might've caught on.

I did this last week to relieve my blocked sinuses. If anyone's that vulnerable that germs would be bad news for them, it's unlikely they'd be using a steam room at a public swimming pool.

Thanks everyone for your any kind input. Have tried all the usual things for home steaming, long hot shower, vic, olbas oil, eucalyptus, avoiding dairy, but nothing is helping. Guess I will just have to wait it out. Will end thread here.

That sucks, OP - having just finished a four week cold with sinus infection, I feel your pain.

I wish you crystal clear lungs and sinuses ASAP.

If you’re just wheezing because of asthma, and are fully confident you aren’t contagious, see if you have a salt cave near you - they are brilliant for asthma sufferers.