Swimming is a good form of exercise; it’s fun and also nice and cooling in hot weather. However, there are some risks involved if you do not take the right precautions. We specifically mean the water in which we swim and its quality. Consider, for example, certain bacteria that (may) be in the water.
Chlorine
Chlorine is used in swimming pool water. This is necessary to kill the bacteria in the water. The amount of chlorine used is very low, but it is still enough to cause complaints such as:
- Red eyes
- Eczema
- Dry skin
- Itch
- Running nose
- Airway problems
If you suffer from these complaints to an extreme extent, as occurs in people who appear to have a chlorine allergy, it is recommended to contact your doctor.
Swimmers excess
Another word for swimmer’s eczema is also athlete’s foot. You can contract this in places where many people walk barefoot (showers, dressing rooms, etc.). The symptoms of athlete’s foot are:
- Itchy feeling
- Burning feeling
- Peeling skin
You can treat athlete’s foot with a fungicide. Because prevention is better than cure, it is advisable to wear slippers so that your (bare) feet do not come into contact with the pool floors.
Swimmer’s itch
You can only get swimmer’s itch if you come into contact with open water such as lakes, ponds or rivers. Especially if it has been warm for a few days. Swimmer’s itch is caused by the larvae of a flatworm that also occurs in water birds (which then transmit it to the water and therefore to humans). The larvae cause a skin irritation that causes itching. However, because the larvae do not remain alive on human skin, the skin irritation disappears after a few days. You can use a menthol ointment against itching, available at the pharmacy.
Botulism
The bacterium that causes botulism occurs in many variants, but it is still fairly rare in the Netherlands. If there are suspicions that this bacterium occurs in certain rivers/lakes/puddles, this will be indicated immediately with signs. In principle, the Dutch variant of this bacterium is not dangerous for humans (but does cause complaints such as nausea, dizziness, etc.), but this bacterium is fatal for water birds! The danger is that the bacteria on these dead birds will mutate and this mutation is dangerous for humans. In this case, never touch dead water birds.
Blue-green algae
Blue-green algae is a bacterium that is mainly released at prolonged high temperatures. The toxins from this bacteria are not that dangerous when they come into contact with your skin, although you can expect discomfort. However, the major danger lies in swallowing water contaminated with this bacteria. High amounts can even end up in the hospital because it can damage your kidney system. Here too, there are often signs at waters where blue-green algae occur.
Avoid the risks
- Always wear slippers when you are in a swimming pool and you come into contact with the pool floor. Water shoes are also a must for small children.
- In any case, be careful about swimming in lakes/puddles, etc., especially when temperatures are high for a long time. For example, if you see that there is foam on the water or that the color of the water is blue/green, do not enter the water, even if there is no sign!
- Also pay close attention to the presence of warning signs at open waters, they are there for a reason!