Asthma

[Abstrac]

Has anyone had a reaction to chlorine whilst swimming?

[Jolius]

yes I do.

[EmmaF91 Community Ambassador]

Yes it’s a relatively common trigger for asthma. If you enjoy swimming however then try to go when it’s emptier. More people = more splashing = more chlorine in the air! (Ie avoid when the pool is full of kids 😉)

Also you could talk to the pool ‘owners’ and find out when they do ‘deeper’ cleaning of the pool so you can avoid those times (my old pool used to do it Thurs AMs so I never went on thurs cause AM was cleaning and PM was children 😅)

Hope this helps xxx

[Chip_y2kuk]

Yes and bleach products ... which is normally also chlorine/chlorine based

[Lysistrata Administrator Community Ambassador]

Do you have a choice of pool? I tend to find bigger pools with higher roofs, or open air, better. That's probably partly the chlorine and partly because I find hot/humid/steamy conditions trigger me as well (I now avoid steam rooms).

However, if you're sensitive to chlorine a more enclosed space probably makes that worse too! I realise it isn't very helpful if you don't have a choice of pool, but if you do have any choice about where to go, it may be worth taking that into consideration, and also visiting any new pool if you can before going for a session there.

I'm about to get back into swimming and asked a friend with severe asthma what she does with her inhaler - she wears flip flops to poolside and leaves it on there so she has it accessible if needed. That might also be worth doing as well as trying to minimise triggers.

[Singinglouder]

Our local pool is ‘non-chlorine’ - that is, it uses ordinary salt and electrolysis, so the chlorine levels are minimal - one of the reasons for converting was that it’s so much better for people with asthma, also eczema. May be worth checking to see whether there’s anything similar near you.

[Wheezycat in reply to Singinglouder]

Oooooh, envious!

[Gwen30]

Yes I do

[Hidden]

Yes, I have. These days I tend to avoid swimming pools unless they’re outdoor pools which I have used without a problem provided I keep my head above water. Putting my head underwater is likely to cause problems unless I’m wearing goggles and a nose clip. With me the bigger problem is allergic rhinitis (even the smell poolside is enough to make my eyes start to react) though I have once had an asthma attack in a pool.

Interestingly my father and elder son, neither of whom are asthmatic, will have an allergic rhinitis type reaction to chlorine in swimming pools (the only thing that really seems to trigger them). My younger son has the same issue, but he is asthmatic, though a rather milder version than I am.

[Gilly100]

Yes, Yes.Trichloramine is the reaction of chlorine in swimming pools with urea in urine or sweat. It is much more responsible for pools’ “chlorine smell” than chlorine itself. It can not only cause respiratory problems in swimmers, but it also can corrode metals in and around pools.