PAG and ice baths

[Jcvi]

hi

I keep hearing about the health benefits of ice baths. Does anyone know the advice for PAF sufferers and the safety of ice baths?

many thanks

[jeanjeannie50]

I think some people, like me would die from the shock of the cold. I always feel the sea and swimming pools colder than anyone else (used to train twice a week in an indoor pool in my 30's). Last few times I went swimming it brought on my AF, so too scared to do it now, let alone sit in a bath of ice. No, no, no, not for me. Sounds like a method of torture and I'd tell everything before being put in one of them.

Years ago, up to my early 40's I'd swim with friends around the coast from one beach to another. Oh happy days.

Jean

[Meg24rd in reply to jeanjeannie50]

cardiologist told me sea swimming (we are 5mins away from beach) was a non as was a hot tub, both could cause me problems, so think might be best to avoid extreme temperatures

[meadfoot]

I wouldnt risk it. Extreme temperatures at either end of scale doesn't seem wise to me.

[CDreamer]

It’s not wise to go directly into ice baths - it is very good for your health generally but cold water shock can be dangerous and very unpredictable. I used to regularly go cold water swimming & as a dinghy sailor regularly dumped into freezing water - but I was young, healthy & fit. These days I content myself with shower - 10 secs hot water - 10 secs reducing the temp until I as cold as I can get it for 20 secs. Has similar affect on the ANS.

Hope that helps.

[CDreamer]

PS - I did have an ice shower at a spa recently- that was fun 🤨

[PCC62]

I was a cold water swimmer until I was diagnosed with PAF in May 2021. I was advised to stop swimming in the ocean by my cardiologist as it could potentially bring on an episode. I had my ablation in March and only now have returned to swimming…and all good. But I’d probably advise against ice baths based the advice I received.

[MarkS]

I would avoid ice baths. The science behind them is quite dubious. The only good quality research on them and cold water swimming has taken place at Portsmouth Uni and this is a paper written by Prof Mike Tipton: theconversation.com/cold-wa...

At best the effect seems to be placebo.

[CDreamer in reply to MarkS]

I guess you wouldn’t be a Wim Hoff fan then.

I do find cold showers helpful but I start warm and gradually reduce to cold until I get a response and I love having my hair washed in cold water at the hairdressers! Everyone else there thinks me mad but my head gets incredibly hot! I do think for me it helps my ANS and reduces inflammatory response.

When we went sailing as kids and played in the sea no-one ever thought about cold water immersion, unless the water was less than 5C, it was just fun. By the time my children were sailing the rule was to wear a wetsuit in summer and you couldn’t sail in the reservoirs unless you wore dry suits. By the time my grandchildren began to learn, they weren’t allowed to sail in winter at all. I don’t think enough research has been done but I also think that GP’s tend to err on the side of caution. I do think that diver’s response can help when you are in AF and I have self converted a few times and I’ve seen it recommended on this forum BUT I used to scuba and every time I got into the water I would lose control of my breathing - I learned to control it very quickly before diving deep but for the first few minutes it was hard work. I think unless you have practised breath control and had some training on sudden immersion into cold water you could very quickly get into difficulty.

Have you looked at research done by the RNLI? I know there were some deaths of crew from cold water and they campaigned very heavily a few years ago against and here is their advice

rnli.org/safety/know-the-ri....

[MarkS in reply to CDreamer]

I do go swimming myself, yesterday in Emsworth Harbour with my dog. We go round one of the navigation markers - the water is relatively warm now. Unfortunately the water is full of weed due to run-off from local farms. But I'm not into winter swimming.

I used to sail as well in a Wayfarer. We used to regularly capsize whilst racing, and it was quite bracing in April. Unfortunately my sailing partner had a heart attack 2 days after our last capsize and so he's now stopped.

I also dived. For a time I was a professional diver in the Royal Navy and had to go in at really low temperatures. We were in "dry" suits which leaked like sieves. It was my hands that really got it particularly in some of the operations we did around Scotland.

[secondtry]

Moderation in all things for AFers. I have slowly built up the time under a cold shower after a hot one, no issues to date.

[Popepaul]

An interesting thread and I was heartened to read the various entries re cold water swimming.

I have lived on the coast for many years now. For several years I used to swim all year round. I would build up to about 3 miles during the summer and then reduce the distance progressively over the winter. On a long swim zI would be in the ware for a few hour, I.never used a wet suite.

I was never convinced of the health benefits of moving through cold water.

Obviously the heart has to work harder to complete the exercise. I think there is an extra burden from have to make for the heat loss. My understanding is that the hyperthalsmus moves the blood to the skin/surface area and then directs it to the internal organs. It gives you the sensation that you are alternating through warm then cold water.

I have not swam for several years now but I may try a cold shower next time zi go into afib.

A relative who used to work on a sick children's ward recently told me that it was not uncommon for children to go I to afib. She said that it was standard practice to plunge the child into ice cold water to revert to NSR.