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Medical Forum / Diseases and Disorders / Asthma / February 2004

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chlorine themporarily cleared my asthma

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Tony - 20 Feb 2004 04:20 GMT
This happen to me a few times last summer and I'd like to know if others have
experience this as well.

I begin to start getting an asthma attack as I'm walking towards a chlorinated
swimming pool. When I get closer and start to breath in the chlorine fumes I
find my asthma decreasing and breathing getting easier as if I've used an
asthma puffer to clear it. Did the chlorine clear it every time?
(This is great timing because I never want to get an asthma attack while
swimming.)

This happened a few times and I concider it too much to be a coincidence.

Tony
t2k@vcn.bc.ca
ttony_at@yahoo.com
Bob - 20 Feb 2004 16:06 GMT
>I begin to start getting an asthma attack as I'm walking towards a chlorinated
>swimming pool.

>When I get closer and start to breath in the chlorine fumes I
>find my asthma decreasing and breathing getting easier as if I've used an
>asthma puffer to clear it. Did the chlorine clear it every time?  

What you are smelling are probably chloramines, a by-product of
chlorine reacting with debris in the water, which become fumes.
Generally, these chemicals are caustic to asthmatics and others with
respiratory problems.  

>(This is great timing because I never want to get an asthma attack while
>swimming.)

The best thing to do is talk with the staff at the pool facility and
make sure that several things are happening which will ensure a
reduced toxic breathing environment:

1.  Are they replacing water in the pool daily?  5 gallons per person
per day is a good rule of thumb.  In other words, if 100 people use
the pool each day, then they should be pumping out 500 gallons of
"used" water and replacing with 500 gallons of fresh water.

2.  Are the swimmers taking a soapy shower before entering the pool
area?  Washing off oils, hair products, dirt, etc. will result in less
caustic breathing fumage.

3.  Is the air being circulated correctly?  Is there proper venting
and fresh air coming into the building?   You'd be surprised at how
many facilities don't stay on top of this.

4.  Do a lot of children and/or elderly people use the pool?  If so,
then there will typically be more urine in the pool, hence a higher
chloramine concentration in the air, and a higher maintenance effort
is required to meet safety standards.

>This happened a few times and I concider it too much to be a coincidence.

I wouldn't count on it.  Opt for and insist on cleaner air instead.
 
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