Take steps to avoid irritants when swimming
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Living in such close proximity to Flathead Lake, when many of us think of swimming, we plan to just go jump in the lake. But now that we have the new aquatics center and other opportunities to swim in a pool, there are some specific health concerns to consider. The following information comes from the Center for Disease Control.
Have your eyes ever started to sting and turn red when you were swimming in a pool? Did you think it was because of the chlorine in the water? Have you ever walked into an indoor pool area, gotten a whiff of a strong chemical smell, and thought, “Wow, there’s a lot of chlorine in the pool?” It’s actually not the chlorine. It’s certain types of chloramines, or what you get when chlorine combines with what comes out of (e.g., pee) or washes off of (e.g., sweat and personal care products) swimmers’ bodies.
These chloramines irritate the eyes and respiratory tract and can even aggravate asthma and cause a strong chemical smell at indoor pools. These chloramines are different from the type of chloramine that is sometimes used to treat our drinking water.
Healthy swimming depends on what we swimmers bring into the pool—and what we keep out of it. We all share the water we swim in, and we each need to do our part to keep ourselves, our families, and our friends healthy.
To help prevent chloramines from forming and to protect yourself and your family and friends from germs, here are a few simple and effective steps all swimmers can take each time we swim:
• Keep the poo and pee out of the water.
• Don’t swim when you have diarrhea.
• Shower with soap before you start swimming.
• Take regular bathroom breaks.
• Wash your hands after using the
toilet or changing diapers.
• Don’t swallow the water you swim in.
Parents of young children should take a few extra steps:
• Take children on bathroom breaks every 60 minutes or check diapers every 30–60 minutes.
• Change diapers in the bathroom or diaper-changing area and not at poolside where germs can rinse into the water.
These steps will help you minimize risk of illness and maximize health benefits and pool enjoyment. For more information, visit the following Center for Disease Control website: http://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/swimming/rwi/rwi-prevention-week/.
And now, back to the lake.
Swimmer’s itch is an itchy rash that can occur after you go swimming or wading outdoors. It is an allergic reaction to microscopic parasites that burrow into your skin. The parasites associated with swimmer’s itch normally live in waterfowl and some animals that live near the water. Humans aren’t suitable hosts, so the parasites soon die while still in your skin. The itchy rash associated with swimmer’s itch looks like reddish pimples or blisters. It may appear within minutes or days after swimming or wading in infested water. Swimmer’s itch usually affects only exposed skin — skin not covered by swimsuits, wet suits or waders. Signs and symptoms of swimmer’s itch typically worsen with each exposure to the parasites. Although uncomfortable, swimmer’s itch is usually short-lived. The rash typically clears up on its own within a few days.
Although it is still a little early to worry about swimmer’s itch, as it gets warmer out, remember to stay clear of plants growing in the lake, rub down briskly immediately after leaving the water, and shower shortly after exiting the water. If you do get it, some relief may be obtained through the use of soothing lotions or lotions that have additives such as antihistamines and/or local anesthetics.
And don’t worry; swimmer’s itch is not contagious.
