What is Asthma?
Asthma is a very common; typically, it causes a cough, a wheeze, a tight chest and shortness of breath. These symptoms are often brought on by irritating fumes, exercise and cold air. Having a cold or other respiratory infection usually makes asthma worse and the effects may continue for some weeks. In almost all cases, however, asthma is easily manageable with simple treatments.
What if I train in the pool every day?
If we take the Olympic Games in Beijing as an example, the use of some asthma inhalers was highest among swimmers, synchronized swimmers and triathletes. These swimmers spend more time in the water than anyone else and the long training hours mean that their lungs are exposed to larger doses of chloramines. Competitive swimmers who have asthma should therefore take a few extra precautions:
1. Always start your session with a proper warm-up (as this usually reduces the breathing discomfort and the risk of a severe asthma attack)
2. Always carry a reliever inhaler with you
3. Always talk to your family or hospital doctor if you feel your breathing has deteriorated and/or your symptoms become more frequent.
As a general rule, if you start using your reliever inhaler more than 5 times a week, it might be time for a medical check-up.
Remember: numerous successful elite swimmers have asthma. As long as your asthma is under good control, it won’t hinder your sport performance.
What if I get an asthma attack in the pool?
If you have an asthma attack while you are swimming, get out of the pool, rest and take your reliever inhaler immediately.
What if I forget to bring my reliever inhaler to swim training?
Your blue reliever inhaler is prescribed to you for the type of asthma you have. If you forget to bring your inhaler to swim training and suffer an asthma attack, there may not be another asthma sufferer in the pool for you to borrow their reliever.
All blue asthma reliever inhalers MUST be brought onto poolside before your swimming session.
If you have asthma and don’t bring your inhaler to swimming with you, unfortunately you won’t be able to take part in that training session.
