Should i swim with allergies

There are different reasons you may spend hours after your swim workout stuffed up and blowing your nose. It sounds silly, but blowing air out of your nose when swimming can actually help keep too much water from getting in there. For example, if you swim in an outdoor pool, then pollen that gathers on the surface of the water can cause allergies. Or perfumes and lotions from other swimmers can get into the water.

There can also be bacteria in the water that causes irritation. That sensitivity can result in nasal congestion after swimming in chlorine pools. Chlorine can also cause inflammation in the lining of the sinuses, known as sinusitis.

And there is some evidence it can be worse for some swimmers in certain warm and moist environments. What works to relieve a blocked nose after swimming varies from athlete to athlete, because it depends on what exactly is causing the irritation to your sinuses. You may need to test a few techniques and see what works for your nasal congestion. It can be a fine line of distinction between allergy and sensitivity reaction, and for many people, exposure to chlorine can lead to uncomfortable and unsightly skin symptoms, sneezing, coughing, and eye irritation.

Sensitivity to chlorine can actually worsen over time with long-term exposure. Your doctor or an allergist can run tests to reveal the root of the problem and may be able to prescribe treatments, such as a corticosteroid cream, that can soothe irritated skin. In addition to taking a cleansing shower before entering the pool, you should shower or rinse after every swim. When chlorine reacts to trace amounts of organic matter such as urine and sweat that may be on your skin when you enter the pool, that generates gaseous byproducts called chloramines.

These tend to hover in the few inches above the water and can cause you to cough or sneeze and can exacerbate symptoms of asthma. Showering after you leave the pool means that any chemicals still on your skin will be rinsed away, stopping their ability to irritate, dry out, and burn your skin. If you develop a rash after swimming or are struggling with other types of sensitivity to chlorine such as red eyes, watery, burning eyes, or excessive coughing or sneezing, talk to the pool operator to make sure the pool is properly maintained.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that public pools and other treated swimming waters be carefully monitored. The pH level—a measurement of how acidic or how basic the water is—should be between 7. This is on a scale of 1 to 14, with 1 being very acidic and 14 being very alkaline or basic.

A reading of 7 is considered neutral. Skin problems can present as itchy red skin or hives itchy raised patches. Chlorine can also cause a flare of eczema atopic dermatitis or help calm eczema. Treatment for skin issues involve, washing the skin with clean nonchlorinated water to remove the chlorine. Occasionally steroid creams maybe needed and for hives use benedryl.

If any of these symptoms occur then seeing an allergist to make sure it is not exercise induced asthma is a good idea.

Several studies of elite swimmers suggest that chronic exposure to chlorine increases airway inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness constriction of airways.