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The fun of swimming may sometimes be limited by sinus infection that may follow particularly if you are a sinus prone person. The sinus infections by swimming can be avoided altogether or the possibilities can be reduced if you take the following precautions. But first let us understand..
How Chlorine Causes Sinus Infections during Swimming?
A sinus infection is an inflammation of the sinuses and nasal passages. There are small tubes that connect sinus cavities to the nasal passages. These tubes are called Ostium.
The irritation of mucus membrane extending to Ostium by over exposure to the chlorinated water builds up mucus and pus in the sinus cavity causing infection.
Though chlorine kills germs to purify the water, unfortunately it fails to kill the bacteria that get in the mucus membrane and ear canal.
Usually the irritation goes away in a couple of day in most cases but in some cases bacterial infection can lead to a full blown sinus infection (sinusitis).
Too much exposure to the chlorinated water also causes swimmer's ear, skin complications eye irritation and hair fall.
Precautions to avoid Sinus infection During Swimming
Swim less or swim by keeping you head above the water (this may be inconvenient for most people). Longer exposure to chlorinated water usually leads to many complications including sinus infection. Shorter periods in the pool will help.
Use ear plugs to stop the chlorinated water to enter sinus cavities. Make sure that these ear plugs are suitable for your pool conditions. Rubber plugs are better than the wax plugs when the water is warm.
After swim, take hot water shower and inhale steam to clean the sinus cavities.
Change your swimming location to the beaches from the swimming pools. Clean sea water is great. Of course it may not be easy for everyone to get access to sea as you may be living hundreds of miles away from the sea.
In any case you enjoy swimming then your focus should be to limit your exposure to chlorine in the water to avoid sinus infection during swimming.
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Swimming and Sinus Infection