How You Can Swim In Cold Water with Asthma
For many are the afflictions of the righteous! Chronic illnesses such as diabetes and asthma continue to afflict people.
Disclaimer: The information in this article is not intended to take the place of a physician’s advice. It is only intended to inform. If you have asthma, please follow the advice of your doctor.
Here is a video showing why doctors recommend swimming for someone with asthma:
However, in the 21st century, you do not have to miss out on outdoor fun just because you have asthma. Here, we shall see what you should know about asthma and swimming in cold water.
At any given time, more than 300 million people in the world are victims of asthma. Thus, if you are a victim, you cannot let it keep you prisoner.
Read our other articles on:
Swimming with a yeast infection
Do above ground pools last long
Asthma is a condition in which the airways sustain inflammation. The symptoms of this condition can be aggravated by dust, smoke, stress, medication, a cold, exercise, food, and medication.
There, we said it! Cold and exercise. The water is cold, and swimming is an aerobic exercise. So, does this mean that swimming in cold water for asthma is a bad idea?
Not always!
Rest assured that you can swim when you have asthma. Keep reading; I will show you just how.
Is cold water good for asthma?
Since we say that cold is one of the triggers of asthma, is cold water any good? Well, it depends on how cold the water is.
In another article, we looked at how swimming in cold water helps with weight loss. But in the case of asthma, too cold water can cause an attack.
Therefore, you can swim in cold water alright, but it has to be within the recommended temperature range of 25 to 28°C/77 to 88°F.
If it is any colder than that, do not swim if you have asthma. If you have been asking, does swimming make asthma worse? Well, you can see that this can only happen when you swim in very cold water.
Benefits of swimming with asthma
There are some benefits to swimming with asthma. These include the following:
Swimming is a very social sport, so mixing with people can take your mind off things that are affecting you. This can give you peace of mind. Remember, emotional stress is one of the bigger triggers of asthmatic attacks.
Swimming in warm water has health benefits. In fact, it is recommended that, when you have asthma, you should swim in a heated pool.
The damp air can help your airways. When you have inflamed airways, the last thing that you want is to inhale dry air.
Swimming is one of the best cardio workouts. Now, what does cardio help with? It enhances your circulatory health, meaning the health of your lungs and heart. Therefore, since asthma is about the airways and the lungs, swimming can really help.
Finally, one of the benefits of swimming every day is that you enjoy your physical health. Swimming tones muscle and it works out all muscle groups.
Tips for Asthma and swimming in cold water
Swimming cured my asthma! Hearing such a statement might make you want to jump into the water.
But not just yet, because when swimming in cold water with asthma, you’ve to be keener and more cautious than other people.
Follow these tips, and you will enjoy your swimming sessions:
Tip 1: Take a medical test
Do not swim blindly; you need to ask your doctor whether you can swim when you have asthma. Taking a medical test will let you know just how strenuous exercise you can undertake.
Also, tell the doctor that you intend to swim, and he or she can advise you on the best hours and seasons to swim.
Other things that you need to know from the doctor are how you should prevent an asthmatic attack by avoiding the regular triggers.
While at it, do some reading up on your own. Find out why the lungs hurt after swimming and other important details.
You can also find out what kind of preparation you need to do before you get into the swimming pool.
Tip 2: Be wary of chlorine and asthma attacks
Chlorine and asthma might be related. Therefore, if you get into the water and feel that there is a higher chemical smell, get out.
Inhaling chlorine might trigger asthmatic attacks. Thus, you do not want to swim in a pool that has too much chlorine. You should never inhale the pool chemicals. The secret is to have good ventilation so that any chlorine smell dissipates.
If you are sensitive to chemical smells and they can send you sneezing your breath away, perhaps you can swim in a river or a lagoon in the summer. Just make sure the water is not colder than 25°C.
Tip 3: Acclimatize your body to cold water first
Do not jump from the bed into the swimming pool. You should jump into the shower first to acclimate your body to the cold.
Of course, if you experience any kind of asthma symptoms from the shower, you should cancel your swimming session immediately.
You might experience chest tightness after swimming, so if you feel the same symptom creeping up on you, please don’t swim.
Tip 4: Bring your inhaler to the pool
Do not forget to take your inhaler to the pool. If you need it, you want it to be within reach. It is also recommended that you use your inhaler for at least 10 minutes before you can get into the pool.
Join people swimming in a pool rather than swimming alone. If you ever experience an asthmatic attack in the water, you want to be around people who can help you.
Of course, this does not mean that you will get an asthmatic attack, but again, you cannot be too sure.
Tip 5: Choose a good day to swim
On some days, you experience asthma symptoms and on others, you do not. It is best that you swim during the latter days when you are feeling strong, happy, and healthy.
If your body does not feel right, if you wake up to a coughing fit, do not swim on that day. Also, if the day is super cloudy, the pool water is likely to be colder.
Tip 6: Listen to your body
Listen to your body and its response when you get inside the cold water of the pool. With good treatment for asthma, you should not feel anything.
However, if you notice that you are experiencing a tight chest after swimming, you might want to talk to your doctor again.
Tip 7: Swim in a pool
Do not swim in the open water when you have asthma. There are some reasons for this. Firstly, the ocean water is colder than the water in the pool.
Secondly, swimming in the open ocean requires you to expend more energy because of the currents and tides. Also, there would be no way to reach your inhaler faster on the beach if the need for it arose.
In case you have to swim in the open water, first, learn how to control your breathing. Secondly, wear a wet suit because the sea water is likely to be colder. Thirdly, carry your inhaler in a waterproof bag.
Tip 8: Warm up before swimming
Do not just jump into the pool, but take time to warm up and get the blood flowing. This helps the nutrients and oxygen to flow to all tissues and muscles, giving you the energy that you need to swim.
When you are ready, do not jump into the water. Rather, slip into the pool slowly, legs first, so that you can get accustomed to the water.
Asthma and Swimming in Cold Water FAQ
If you are asthmatic, you need to be doubly sure that the water is good for swimming. If you need more clarification, read this section to see frequently asked questions regarding swimming in cold water when you have asthma.
Can the pool trigger asthma?
Swimming pool water contains chlorine. It is added to prevent the collection of organic matter in the water. If you have seen the pool water turning green, you need more cleaning and chlorine.
But the same chemical (chlorine) that cleans the pool water can be a safety hazard for you. It can trigger asthmatic attacks.
After shocking the pool with chlorine, if a person with asthma swims in the water, the conditions could trigger an asthmatic attack.
The pool cleaning chemicals can react with chlorine to produce gases that affect the upper airways. For a person who has asthma, this causes the inflammation of the airways.
Also, when people pee in the pool, the urine, fecal matter, and other organic matter react with chlorine. This also forms gases that react with the airways. It can provoke asthma.
Does this then mean that you cannot swim when you have asthma? Of course, you can swim. For instance, if you experience just mild attacks, you can swim okay.
But if you experience serious, life-threatening asthmatic attacks, you should swim in the pool only if it has very low chlorine levels.
Also, proper pool maintenance is very important if you have a person with asthma in the family. Also, swimming in a heated pool might be better than a cold one.
Do most swimmers have asthma?
Not all swimmers report asthmatic symptoms but a good number of them do. Research has established that indeed, there is a relationship between swimming and respiratory symptoms.
In 2015, Reuters published a very interesting article. The article says that research established that 25% of competition swimmers studied showed signs of respiratory symptoms.
While swimming for leisure cannot cause asthma, spending many hours in chlorinated water can cause asthmatic symptoms.
The chlorine reacts with urine in the pool and forms chlorine byproducts. It will also produce the same byproducts when it reacts with the other organic matter inside the water.
To answer the question of whether most swimmers have asthma, not all. It is just a portion of the competitive swimmers because they spend more time in the water.
Also, a person who comes from a family with a history of asthma is more likely to develop respiratory challenges than a person without such a history.
Can you get rid of asthma by swimming?
If you already have asthma, you are not going to be able to get rid of it by swimming. In fact, breathing in the by-products of chlorine and other pool chemicals is going to aggravate your asthma.
If you do not have asthma, swimming is going to help you prevent its development. It will do this by making the lungs stronger.
This is why it is so important to teach a 3 year old how to swim. Children need to swim to strengthen their lungs.
Swimming burns calories and makes the heart strong. Improved circulatory health means there is enough oxygen and nutrient-rich blood getting to all parts of the body.
Make no mistake, swimming has benefits for people with asthma in the same way it has benefits for healthy people.
For instance, swimming every day for a month makes you very fit because it works out all the muscle groups. If you are fit, you will be able to handle an asthmatic attack better than an unfit person.
Asthma has no cure, but there are ways to manage or even prevent the symptoms.
Does chlorine make asthma worse?
If a person has asthma, it would be advisable to swim in pools with low levels of chlorine. This is especially important for people who suffer from extreme asthmatic attacks.
Swimming in chlorine or saltwater pools for extended periods of time is not advisable if you have asthma. If you get attacks, please limit the time you spend in the water. That way, it will be possible to swim in a chlorinated pool when you have asthma.
Anyone who has asthma can be a victim of more aggravation if they stay too long in the pool. The by-products of pool chemicals can make asthmatic symptoms worse.
Is cold water good for asthma?
Cold water is not good for asthma, whether you are going to drink it or swim in it. It can induce symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, and even shortness of breath. Thus, make sure that the pool temperature is at least 25°C before swimming.
Can swimming aggravate asthma?
Yes, it can if the swimming pool water is at the right temperature. If it is a bad day for you, say, you have been coughing and feeling tightness in the chest, the pool water will aggravate asthma.
If you do not use your reliever inhaler for about 10 minutes before getting into the pool, the water might cause an asthmatic attack.
Why does swimming cure asthma?
Swimming works out all the muscle groups in your body. It also enhances the flow of blood from the lungs and the heart to other parts of the body. Thus, swimming can enhance circulation and help stabilize the muscles that are used in breathing.
Why do so many swimmers have asthma?
Professional swimmers spend a better chunk of their day in the water, either competing or training. Thus, they inhale more pool chemicals, such as chlorine, which can cause asthma. Over time, the pool surface sustains chlorine-based oxidants, which can cause asthma.
Conclusion for Asthma and cold water swimming
Asthma, chlorine, swimming, and cold water are all related. But the question is: how cold should the water be?
It should be as warm as possible, not colder than 25°C. Also, if it is too hot, there might be too much condensation, which will hurt your inflamed airways.
You can definitely swim in a pool with asthma, but you have to be more careful. Most importantly, learn to listen to your body. It will tell you when it is time to swim or to get out of the water.
