Swimming and running noses.

I also swim 3-4X a week and do not swallow much water at all-yet I have all the symptoms that you have after I swim. Like your question-I have wondered the same.

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 always strongly support use of a nose plug whenever this issue comes up. It worked for me and is simple and cheap. 2go+h20 (difficult to type a zero there) is absolutely right about this fix. What kind of nose plug catches seawead? I don't get the lack of air complaint, however. Who breathes in through their nose when they swim? It doesn't seem possible to me.

Chlorine is known to exacerbate allergy symptoms. It certainly does for me. But I'm on allergy meds, so I keep it under pretty good control.

Phil, I don't think anyone inhales through their nose under water (not more than once anyway), but a lot of times I exhale through my nose under water. I find that when I'm tasked with having to swim a length under water that I take a deep breath and slowly exhale as I progress. (That is if I don't pop out of the water at about the 18th yard with a panic attack). Friday a.m. will be the test on the plug. It's a relatively shallow community center pool so if I have a panic attack because my nose is plugged I can always stand up.

This is outstanding advice. The flip turn theory makes a lot of sense. I woke up last night with terrible congestion and decided I don't care what I look like, Friday morning I'm trying the nose plug. The cold symptoms still haven't subsided since Wednesday's swim and I enjoy swimming too much to be hampered by a runny (not running as posted) nose and congestion. I'll keep you posted.

If I was actually worried about how I looked (with nose plugs or just in general), I'd never leave the house. Besides, is there anything more satisfying than passing someone on a Trek 2100 when you've got a $400-$500 bike?

It would seem that nose plugs are an excellent short term solution. Long term you might want to consider working seriously on your flip turn because doing all mouth breathing doesn't seem to be the best route to better swimming. However, one of the best swimmers I know wears a plug all the time so I guess to each his own.

I don't know of any ridiculing for wearing a nose plug. Considering that we wear Speedos as adults and many of us shave for meets, the good natured ribbing I take from my pals about that probably has insulated me from any other types of insults.

There is absolutely no purpose for a nose while swimming. It is ineffective to take air in, and unnecessary to let air out -- the only reason to blow air out of it is to prevent water from coming in. I actually tried to breath in through my nose while swimming freestyle today. The only way to get air in was to limit what I breathed through my mouth, which is not the purpose. Also, I sprayed my sinuses with chlorinated water and sneezed for half a day. The nose is bad for swimming. It is the reason for the start of this thread, and it prevents goggles from fitting (I know, I have a big nose.) If I did not have a nose I could back dolphin farther from the wall and goggles would be cheaper. There is *no* downside to wearing a nose plug. The best 55+ backstroker in the world wears a nose plug when he races. You can too.