Lately I have been having trouble with severe itching while pool swimming. Not the kind that feels good when you scratch it; but an intense, pins and needles, maddening, burning sensation that forces me to stop at least every length to scratch-which doesn't even relieve it-just hurts enough to get to me to the other side of the pool. This used to occur years ago off and on at my old pool. It almost never occurred at my current pool, but has been happening every time the last few weeks! There is no rash, and it goes away after showering. I haven't talked to any pool staff because I am afraid they would just say they don't know, they're not doing anything different...and I would just get really mad. If I could be armed with ideas concerning anything from PH, chlorine vs bromine, algaecides, different brands...I may have a better discussion. The fact that it doesn't occur all the time and I am really not sensitive to much of anything makes me wonder if there is something different being done...
ask the lifeguard to check the water. If you are too afraid to ask, take a water sample to a pool supply store and get it tested there. Then you know for sure what the levels are.
I would do this twice: once on a day you are itching and once on a day you feel fine.
In the past, my experience tells me that the itching is actually your body trying to sweat. Your pores are opening up a bit more and perhaps your body is reacting to the chemicals in the pool more. This used to happen a lot to me, and I just tried to drink more water. I am not a physiologist but this is my best guess as to what is happening.
