Mighty Well
  • Shop
  • Home
  • Friends in the Fight
    • Friends in the Fight

      Diagnosed With Diabetes… Now What?

      February 17, 2021February 17, 2021

      Friends in the Fight

      Body Positivity Month

      February 10, 2021February 11, 2021

      Friends in the Fight

      World Cancer Day: 5 ways to support someone…

      February 3, 2021February 3, 2021

      Friends in the Fight

      We Are Mighty Well

      January 22, 2021January 22, 2021

      Friends in the Fight

      Making the Invisible Visible

      December 16, 2020December 16, 2020

  • Chronic Illness
    • Chronic Illness

      4 Tips For Reducing PICC Line Pain

      March 3, 2021March 3, 2021

      Chronic Illness

      Rare Disease Day

      February 28, 2021February 28, 2021

      Chronic Illness

      Diagnosed With Diabetes… Now What?

      February 17, 2021February 17, 2021

      Chronic Illness

      Body Positivity Month

      February 10, 2021February 11, 2021

      Chronic Illness

      Diabetes Resource Guide

      February 5, 2021February 5, 2021

  • General Wellness
    • General Wellness

      5 Healthy Meals You Can Cook on the…

      February 24, 2021February 24, 2021

      General Wellness

      Spread love, not germs, this Valentine’s Day

      February 12, 2021February 12, 2021

      General Wellness

      New CDC Guidelines on Double Masking

      February 11, 2021February 11, 2021

      General Wellness

      Body Positivity Month

      February 10, 2021February 11, 2021

      General Wellness

      Looking Towards the New Year With Hope and…

      December 30, 2020December 30, 2020

  • Shop
  • Home
  • Friends in the Fight
    • Friends in the Fight

      Diagnosed With Diabetes… Now What?

      February 17, 2021February 17, 2021

      Friends in the Fight

      Body Positivity Month

      February 10, 2021February 11, 2021

      Friends in the Fight

      World Cancer Day: 5 ways to support someone…

      February 3, 2021February 3, 2021

      Friends in the Fight

      We Are Mighty Well

      January 22, 2021January 22, 2021

      Friends in the Fight

      Making the Invisible Visible

      December 16, 2020December 16, 2020

  • Chronic Illness
    • Chronic Illness

      4 Tips For Reducing PICC Line Pain

      March 3, 2021March 3, 2021

      Chronic Illness

      Rare Disease Day

      February 28, 2021February 28, 2021

      Chronic Illness

      Diagnosed With Diabetes… Now What?

      February 17, 2021February 17, 2021

      Chronic Illness

      Body Positivity Month

      February 10, 2021February 11, 2021

      Chronic Illness

      Diabetes Resource Guide

      February 5, 2021February 5, 2021

  • General Wellness
    • General Wellness

      5 Healthy Meals You Can Cook on the…

      February 24, 2021February 24, 2021

      General Wellness

      Spread love, not germs, this Valentine’s Day

      February 12, 2021February 12, 2021

      General Wellness

      New CDC Guidelines on Double Masking

      February 11, 2021February 11, 2021

      General Wellness

      Body Positivity Month

      February 10, 2021February 11, 2021

      General Wellness

      Looking Towards the New Year With Hope and…

      December 30, 2020December 30, 2020

Mighty Well

Adaptive WearChronic IllnessMedical DevicesPICC LineTreatment and Care

Patient Tips: How to Shower with a PICC Line

by Emily Levy February 8, 2017October 2, 2020
written by Emily Levy
Showering with PICC line

When you have a PICC line, life is already hard. You have to remember to organize and prep your medication, set up your nursing visits, and to take the time to do your infusions. As this wasn’t enough, one of the biggest challenges becomes showering. Here are our 4 most commonly asked questions for showering with a PICC line answered by our very own professional patient.

1. why can’t a PICC line get wet?

In One Word: Infection

A Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter, known as a PICC Line, is a long-term vascular access device that is deposited into the superior vena cava, a vein that carries blood to the heart. When a PICC line dressing gets wet, this allows for the spread of infection that has a direct access to the heart. Infection can then spread throughout the body.

2. what’s better — bath or shower?

In One Word: Bath

A bath allows for more mobility and reduces the risk of water getting near the PICC Line insertion site. It is important to still cover your line with a waterproof barrier, but you may find yourself being more comfortable in a bath. You can wash your hair and use a washcloth with reduced worry of water splattering. You may need to ask for help washing your hair or getting out of the bath. Always check to see that your dressing is secure and dry after bathing.

3. what shower sleeve do you recommend?

In One Word: Nistaa

As a new to market “Waterproof Transparent Barrier,” this is by far the best water barrier/ shower sleeve that is out there. This PICC line protector for showering allows for flexibility of the arm, without worrying about constricting the blood flow, that some other shower sleeves on the market may cause. The Nistaa feels like a large Tegaderm dressing going over your other dressing. Check them out here!

4. what if my dressing gets wet?

In One Word: HELP

Keeping your PICC line dry and water free is key to keeping your PICC line safe, secure, and preventing infection or dislodgement. If your PICC line does get wet, immediately try to dry the area and call your home health nurse to schedule an emergency dressing change or have a trained family member change your dressing. The sooner your dressing is changed, the lower the risk of infection.

Note: This is an opinion piece. The above information contains some, but not necessarily all, of the information that you may need to care for your PICC line while showering. Please speak with your doctor or nurse if you have questions or issues you may experience. This document should not take the place of conversations with members of your healthcare team about your treatment and effects you may experience during and after the use of a central line. If you experience any significant change in your health during or after treatment, contact a member of your health care team right away.

Got more questions about PICC Lines?  Join our Friends in the Fight Group to connect with our community.


PICC line coverPICCPerfectShower With a PICCshowering with a catheter
0
FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Emily Levy

previous post
Four Tips For Maintaining Resilience When Battling a Chronic Illness
next post
Q&A With Lyme Warrior and Entrepreneur: Cat Seven

You may also like

My experience at medcomp

September 14, 2017

Wishes, Granted: Stories from Our Friends in the...

January 3, 2020

Conversations with Lisa Cipkar: Patient and Practitioner

January 20, 2020

Comfort Food: 4 tips from our Friends in...

October 28, 2020

Creative Tips for Managing Medications: Medical Organizers

June 18, 2019

Bias in Medicine: 5 Tips to Self-Advocate

August 15, 2019

Finding The Good In Bad With Illness

March 13, 2017

Keeping Friends from the Depths of your Fight:...

June 19, 2019

Careers & Chronic Illness: Tips on Navigating a...

September 23, 2019

Able Minded, Unable Body

December 3, 2019

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

About Us

Hi, We're Mighty Well.

The mission of Mighty Well is to help patients and their caregivers turn sickness into strength. We are leading the global charge that changes the perception of patients from victims to fighters. We do this by improving the experience of being a patient. We create the products we wish we’d had: functional and stylish apparel and accessories that you can wear with confidence - and content that can help you get through the good times and the bad. It’s wellness you can wear.

Keep in touch

Facebook Twitter Instagram

Instagram

No images found!
Try some other hashtag or username

Recent Posts

  • 4 Tips For Reducing PICC Line Pain

    March 3, 2021
  • Rare Disease Day

    February 28, 2021
  • 5 Healthy Meals You Can Cook on the Road with a Kitchenette

    February 24, 2021
  • Diagnosed With Diabetes… Now What?

    February 17, 2021
  • Spread love, not germs, this Valentine’s Day

    February 12, 2021

Categories

  • Adaptive Wear
  • Chronic Illness
  • Featured
  • Friends in the Fight
  • General Wellness
  • Healthy Work Environments
  • Lyme Disease
  • Medical Devices
  • Mightier Together
  • Mighty Models
  • PICC Line
  • Popular Posts
  • The Undefeated
  • Treatment and Care
  • Uncategorized

Tags Cloud

Active Lifestyle Adulting Best Fit for Your Lifestyle Be Your Own Advocate blm Chronic Illness coronavirus coronoavirus covid-19 Diabetes Disabilities Dysautonomia Family Feeding Tubes Fibromyalgia Gastroparesis holidays invisible illnesses Living Mighty Well Living With a PICC Living with a Port LLMD lyme disease Lyme Into Lemonaid Lyme Literate Doctors MedPlanner mental health Mental Illness mighty mask Mighty Pack mighty well mask Misdiagnosed Mom with Lyme New Years Organization Tips PICC PICC line cover PICC Line Dressing Change PICCPerfect POTS Prevention Self-love Support Systems TPN trans black lives matter

Our Story

Mighty Well - Founder - Emily Levy - Our Story

 

It all started with a cut off sock, a cute hockey player, and an 8 AM finance class. Oh, and a PICC Line. That moment inspired us to launch our first product, the PICCPerfect PICC Line Cover.

 

We know it stinks to feel defined by a diagnosis or feel like just a name on a doctor’s chart. Sounds like you? Read how our founder turned sickness into strength.

Recent Posts

  • 4 Tips For Reducing PICC Line Pain

    March 3, 2021
  • Rare Disease Day

    February 28, 2021
  • 5 Healthy Meals You Can Cook on the Road with a Kitchenette

    February 24, 2021

Join the Fight

Mighty Well's Facebook Page

Find Us on Instagram

No images found!
Try some other hashtag or username
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram

Mighty Well © 2018 All Rights Reserved


Back To Top