I started swimming about nine months ago. In the beginning, I couldn't stand water getting into and get stuck in my ears, so I started wearing earplugs. I am a much better swimming now. I am able to swim 2 miles w/o breaks with using freestyle. So today, I tried swimming without earplugs. Oh man, I started getting dizzy. The pool was literally spinning. I couldn't swim anymore and had to stop for the day.
Am I the only one experiencing this, or is this a common things amongst swimmer who are used to wearing earplugs? If possible, I want to be able to swim without earplugs in the near future. Do you have any advice? Thanks.
It sounds like you have inner ear imbalance, or Meniere's www.mayoclinic.org/.../con-20028251. I suffer from it on occasion, as do some other swimmers, caused by an imbalance in the inner ear fluid. And this link, which is supposed to be funny, though vertigo is not:www.crankyfitness.com/.../vertigo-research-remedies-and-ramblings.html.
Maybe try doing a shorter distance without the ear plugs. Get used to turning your head side to side. I suspect the ear plugs have some sort of effect on the inner ear, and you're accustomed to it. So going without is a change. You might talk to a doctor. Sometimes meds help. Usually, you can feel the onset, a slight vertigo when you turn to breath. If that happens you need to stop. Don't tough it out. It only makes it last a lot longer.
FYI, Olympic diver Mary Ellen Clark suffered from this. You can read her story here: www.si.com/.../vexed-by-vertigo-us-olympic-platform-diver-mary-ellen-clark-has-been-laid-low-by-dizziness
It sounds like you have inner ear imbalance, or Meniere's www.mayoclinic.org/.../con-20028251. I suffer from it on occasion, as do some other swimmers, caused by an imbalance in the inner ear fluid. And this link, which is supposed to be funny, though vertigo is not:www.crankyfitness.com/.../vertigo-research-remedies-and-ramblings.html.
Maybe try doing a shorter distance without the ear plugs. Get used to turning your head side to side. I suspect the ear plugs have some sort of effect on the inner ear, and you're accustomed to it. So going without is a change. You might talk to a doctor. Sometimes meds help. Usually, you can feel the onset, a slight vertigo when you turn to breath. If that happens you need to stop. Don't tough it out. It only makes it last a lot longer.
FYI, Olympic diver Mary Ellen Clark suffered from this. You can read her story here: www.si.com/.../vexed-by-vertigo-us-olympic-platform-diver-mary-ellen-clark-has-been-laid-low-by-dizziness