I am a beginner swimmer training in a community outdoor pool which utilizes salt as a sanitizer. After swimming I shower well with soap and within an hour I experience severe hay fever like symptoms. I dose myself with antihistimines and relief is slow to occur. Should I start a daily regimine of antihistimines to maintain a working level in my body? Are there more effective ways of avoiding the hay fever effects? Are nose clips an option?
I'd try nose clips.
If that doesn't work you could try a pool that uses Bromine or some other substance for sanitation. Good luck!
Former Member
Salt is not a sanitizer
Chlorine is the sanitizer in a salt water pool
NaCl H2O pass over electrically charged plates in the cell
The electrically charged plates yield a more natural Cl H20 by reversing the charge . . . the Na is removed via a positive/negative charge.
The Cl in a salt water pool is more natural and the water is very soft.
The chlorine isn't as hard because its not a manufactured Cl . . . most Cl pools use a Hypo-chloride solution . . . which is abrasive and more prone to allergic reactions.
The symptoms you may have could be related to a new salt cell system or that you are completely not accustomed to swimming in said environment.
see en.wikipedia.org/.../Salt_water_chlorination
Former Member
You can search these forums to find past discussions on this topic. Here are a few to get you started. I searched on the words "allergic" and "chlorine":
Swimming allergy
Chlorine allergy
What next, nose clip?
Swimmer's sinusitis
Saline NOT best for pools
Former Member
Get the nose clip. It solved the problem for me right away. I sneezed for more than a year. It was really disconcerting. I would have these non-stop sneezing fits in the evening after my afternoon swim. I never tried any medication but the minute I tried the nose clip, the problem went away. It will be unfamiliar and perhaps uncomfortable at first, but you soon get used to it.
