I'm swimming with a new workout group this year, and am thus in a new pool. Something in the water (not necessarily chlorine) is giving my sinuses fits. It takes more than a day to unstuff, during which time sleeping is problematic. I've rather casually tried decongestant (currently only Sudafed PE) and antihistamines (Claritin) and my trusty neti pot. The neti pot doesn't help a lot if your sinuses are completely clogged though.
I'm skeptical that it's chlorine causing problems mostly because I swam in an older pool last season which had higher chlorine levels with no problem (at least by how long the chlorine smell lingered on my skin).
I realize that chlorine is an irritant, not an allergen, so maybe antihistamines or decongestants won't be all that effective. Is there a nose clip in my future? Anybody using a nose clip strictly to keep chemicals out of your nose and sinuses?
Thx,
Skip
I too have suddenly become suspicious that nasal problems might be related to something in pool water (the effect seems to peak a few hours after exposure, around midnight) rather than environmental dust. Someone on the forums suggested rinsing with (warm) salt water. That does bring some relief but not a full resolution. After that I take a decongestant (pseudoephedrine HCl 30 mg). It is a misery.
I swim most frequently in a hotel pool, which is a chemical bath.
:confused:
I too have suddenly become suspicious that nasal problems might be related to something in pool water (the effect seems to peak a few hours after exposure, around midnight) rather than environmental dust. Someone on the forums suggested rinsing with (warm) salt water. That does bring some relief but not a full resolution. After that I take a decongestant (pseudoephedrine HCl 30 mg). It is a misery.
I swim most frequently in a hotel pool, which is a chemical bath.
:confused:
