nausea in backstroke

Former Member
Former Member
hi im a 13 year old (nearly 14) state swimmer and when i am swimming backstroke i am feeling nausea. it has been happening for about a year now and it is quite annoying me because it is affecting my swimming. my coaches think i will grow out of it, but i do know that it is not my breathing or something to od with my inner ear. it could be motion sickness, but i have tried taking ginger tablets and they didnt work. i am now actually feeling sick during the whole training sesson where before it would only happen when i race. i dont know what is happening and why it is happening, please help!! Rachael
Parents
  • Rachael, please ask your parents to take you to an ENT (ear, nose, throat specialist). If you have a physiological problem, you will probably NOT outgrow it! A simple examination will probably get you a definitive answer. I have Meniere's, an autoimmune inner ear disorder that causes the symptoms you describe. I can swim backstroke fine indoors, as long as I take Ande's advice and concentrate on a fixed point, such as a beam or pipe along the ceiling. When I swim backstroke outdoors, I have to rely on my peripheral vision and keep an eye on the lane lines to keep from getting dizzy. Do you do flip turns? Try NOT doing flip turns for a few days and see how you do. I used to do flip turns when I swam in high school, before I got Meniere's. Now, I must do open turns, because flip turns give me the same symtoms you are describing; I get seasick! I am guessing that if you take Ande's advice (if you swim indoors) and stop doing flip turns, you will feel much better- even if you don't have Meniere's. Give it a try and see. But, definitely, see a doctor to find out the actual cause of your problem. Good luck! :cheerleader:
Reply
  • Rachael, please ask your parents to take you to an ENT (ear, nose, throat specialist). If you have a physiological problem, you will probably NOT outgrow it! A simple examination will probably get you a definitive answer. I have Meniere's, an autoimmune inner ear disorder that causes the symptoms you describe. I can swim backstroke fine indoors, as long as I take Ande's advice and concentrate on a fixed point, such as a beam or pipe along the ceiling. When I swim backstroke outdoors, I have to rely on my peripheral vision and keep an eye on the lane lines to keep from getting dizzy. Do you do flip turns? Try NOT doing flip turns for a few days and see how you do. I used to do flip turns when I swam in high school, before I got Meniere's. Now, I must do open turns, because flip turns give me the same symtoms you are describing; I get seasick! I am guessing that if you take Ande's advice (if you swim indoors) and stop doing flip turns, you will feel much better- even if you don't have Meniere's. Give it a try and see. But, definitely, see a doctor to find out the actual cause of your problem. Good luck! :cheerleader:
Children
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