I swam regularly (3-4 x/week) for approximately 5 years and had laid off for the past 7 months. Thankfully I'm back in the pool again. I am relatively healthy and have missed almost no work. However, whenever I get out of the pool I have cold symptoms--congestion, running nose, sneezing, etc. I know I probably swallow my share of water, and I've learned to live with these nuisances, but are these symptoms common for others?
Parents
Former Member
I too had the same symptoms. Gradually increased from sneezing after a workout, to a running nose, to a hosing nose and more sneezing. And then to a Sinus infection. Which progressed into not knowing when one started and one finished.
I did notice in workout that those 'sinus washouts' you get when doing double arm back, fly or flip turns severly irritated my mucus membranes in my poor nose.
When the doctor threatened me with a surgical sinus washout, I said "Give me another month". (I avoid surgery where possible).
I went out and bought a nose plug. At first I thought I was going to suffocate. But be strong. Don't take it off at all for the first 2 weeks. even to talk to lane mates!!
Once you learn to breath in and out of your mouth, you will be delighted with the results. No more sneezing, runny noses, sinus infections.
I think I developed an allergy or sensitivity to chlorine.
I am able to swim in the open water without a nose plug. I feel like I have so much more air to breathe, (a nose plug is a bit like altitude training!! you will adapt). Although in the open water I still get a bit of a runny nose, I don't suffer from the sneezing or sinus infections. And the bonus for not wearing it in the open water is that weeds don't hook onto it, and stick to the side of your face thereby directing water into your mouth when you breathe. (This can happen in the pool where a hair will attach. It is gross, but you learn to be excellent at pulling them off with an underwater stroke!)
Good Luck.
I too had the same symptoms. Gradually increased from sneezing after a workout, to a running nose, to a hosing nose and more sneezing. And then to a Sinus infection. Which progressed into not knowing when one started and one finished.
I did notice in workout that those 'sinus washouts' you get when doing double arm back, fly or flip turns severly irritated my mucus membranes in my poor nose.
When the doctor threatened me with a surgical sinus washout, I said "Give me another month". (I avoid surgery where possible).
I went out and bought a nose plug. At first I thought I was going to suffocate. But be strong. Don't take it off at all for the first 2 weeks. even to talk to lane mates!!
Once you learn to breath in and out of your mouth, you will be delighted with the results. No more sneezing, runny noses, sinus infections.
I think I developed an allergy or sensitivity to chlorine.
I am able to swim in the open water without a nose plug. I feel like I have so much more air to breathe, (a nose plug is a bit like altitude training!! you will adapt). Although in the open water I still get a bit of a runny nose, I don't suffer from the sneezing or sinus infections. And the bonus for not wearing it in the open water is that weeds don't hook onto it, and stick to the side of your face thereby directing water into your mouth when you breathe. (This can happen in the pool where a hair will attach. It is gross, but you learn to be excellent at pulling them off with an underwater stroke!)
Good Luck.
