During summer when you want to cool your body, the idea of taking a bath in a swimming pool for dipping, sprinkling, and even immersing becomes very very charming.
Often families arrange a picnic in the swimming pool. Spending a day in the pool is equally fascinating to adult children and old people. But every lovely place has some disadvantages if misused. Sometimes when a swimmer swims, a small amount of pool water accidentally enters his mouth. Suddenly their parents are confused and may be asked.
What happens if you swallow pool water? Don’t be afraid to discuss it in detail.
Engulfing a small amount of pool water is harmless but due to chlorination, its water may cause stomach problems, fever, vomiting diarrhea and these symptoms are more intense especially when pool water contains E.coli.Giardia-type microorganisms.These disorders term as RWI.
Kids are supposed to be more affected by the ill effects of drinking pool water because they ingest four times more water than adults. It is better to understand the harshness of pool water. We thoroughly guide you.
Let’s start.
What Happen If You Drink Pool Water
If swimmers drink pool water consciously or accidentally it proves to be dangerous.
Sometimes swimmers get RWI disorder which is the abbreviated form of Recreational Water illness.
These disorders are spread by swallowing or just having contact with contaminated pool water.
Most of us are careless about taking bath before using the pool. Research shows that each of us leaves 14grams of fecal material, sweat, dust, and other materials
This water is a great source of E.coli. This bacteria causes stomach disorders. In addition to E.coli, the presence of some other microorganisms also confirmed like Giardia, Shigella, and Cryptosporidium.
Some common symptoms of intake of the pool water are:
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Stomach cramps
- Loss of appetite fever
If you observe any of the above symptoms contact your doctor and avoid swimming for 2 to 3 weeks.
What To Do If Swallow Pool Water A Lot of Pool Water
Intake of excessive water may lead to water intoxication, also known as water poisoning or hyperhydration. It is fatal for brain function and leads to an imbalance of electrolytes
Cure of Water Intoxication
- Cutting back on your fluid intake
- Taking diuretics. This product increases the production of urine that remove extra water from your body
- Avoid swimming at least for 15 days
Removal of Chlorine From Your Skin and Hair
Here is the best home remedy if you want to remove chlorine from your body after a pool bath. Take vitamin C crystal and mix it in a small amount of water. Insert this in a spray bottle. Use it after every pool bath, and rub it on your body. And take shower after that.
You may mix this in the bathing tub.
Determination of Volume of Water Ingested By Swimmer
During an interesting research volume of intake pool water by a swimmer is measured.
They use Chloroisocyanurate disinfectant pool water to determine the amount of water swallowed by swimmers during swimming activity.
The product Chloroisocynanurate which is in equilibrium with chlorine and cyanuric acid in the pool gives a biomarker, cyanuric acid that once swallowed passes out through the body into urine unaffected.
The concentration of cyanuric acid in a 24 hours urine specimen and the concentration in the pool can be used to calculate the amount of water swallowed. A total of 549 participants are under study, including male-female young and old equally. Results indicate that adults drink about 32mL per hour and children ingest four times as much water as adults during swimming. A surprising factor is that males consume more pool water than females.
What happens If You Swallowed Accidentally Ingest Small Amount of Pool Water
A small amount of chlorinated pool water is harmless but you can reduce its ill effect by using milk or filtered water. If you feel vomiting or convulsing, ask for medical treatment. The same amount of pool water may show different effects in different persons.
If the pool water is dirty you may suffer from stomach pain, diarrhea, and skin infection.
Can Swallowing Pool Water Make You Sick
Ingesting a small amount of pool water is harmless but if you consume a lot of pool water, especially just after using chlorine or bromine in the pool it may lead to chlorine poisoning. Engulfing a large amount of water makes you sick but its symptoms appear in one to 72 hours.
You may also get skin allergies like Hot tub rash, or your ear infected and have a disease like Swimmer’s Ear.
I swallow Pool Water And My Throat Hurt
After spending some time in the swimming pool, if your eyes become red and coughing starts you surely suffer from Chloramines. These are chemicals used to disinfect the pool blended with things that people leave like urine, feces, sweat, and dead skin particles.
People get a sore throat after taking a bath in the pool. If this happens use the following measures to soothe your bad throat:
- Don’t keep your mouth dry. Especially in the morning, moist your throat by using water because it dries much during the night
- Use hot tea and soup
- Gargle with warm saltish water.
- Avoid cold drinks
- Take rest
- Use medicines like Acetaminophen or Ibuprofen
Can Swallowing Pool Water Cause Diarrhea
Cryptosporidium is a notorious parasite that causes diarrhea in persons who use a swimming pool. The infection of the crypto parasite occurs when a person ingested contaminated water from diarrhea after the use of a person infected by cryptosporidium.
Crypto is the most familiar cause of diarrhea attacks linked with swimming pools and water parks because it can survive 10 days in chlorinated water. Only a mouthful of polluted water is enough to sick a healthy person for three weeks.
This infection can cause stomach cramps, nausea, or vomiting and can lead to dehydration
For killing these parasites CDC recommended closing the pool and treating it for high levels of chlorine
The CDC advises parents not to let the children swim if they have diarrhea.
Can Swallowing Pool Water Make You Vomit
Yes, you may feel vomiting when hurt by the crypto parasite. It can produce pain in the stomach and the stomach could not stay food. It leads to feelings of nausea and vomiting. This condition is prolonged if not treated properly.
Fever After Swallowing Pool Water
When your child gets water in the air passage but it does not reach the lung it is referred to as dry drowning. It shuts off their air passage and makes it difficult to breathe. But when the water enters in lungs its symptoms appear within 24 hours are called secondary drowning.
Symptoms of secondary drowning are coughing, vomiting, fever, difficulty in breathing, chest pain, and lethargy.
This condition indicates that your child suffers from pulmonary edema.
How Much Pool Water Can You Drink Before You Die
No set amount of water will be life-threatening. We can measure it as the amount consumed per hour. The effects of water intoxication occur more in children and aged persons.
Our kidneys can filter 20 to 28-liter water per day. Its average efficiency is never more than one liter per hour. So if a healthy person consumes more than one liter/hour, his kidneys fail to filter this and lead to a serious kidney problem. Pool water contains chlorine and other contamination so consuming more than one liter per hour may be fatal for you.
Symptoms of water poisoning appear if you consume 3 to 4 liters of pool water in a few hours. Their symptoms are headache, spasms, vomiting diarrhea
Frequently Asked Questions (Faqs)
During Swimming How Can a Swimmer Stop Swallowing Pool Water?
When your head enters the water, practice opening your lips slightly and slowly breathing out. During swimming exhale slowly via both your nose and mouth. A nose clip can also assist you to respire out of your mouth more comfortably.
Will You Die From Drinking Pool Water?
Swallowing more than 3 to 4 glasses can cause water intoxication and your kidneys could not expel all the water within a few hours. This will lead to serious issues. chlorine is another factor that produces chlorine poisoning.
Bottom Lines
Swimming is a very good and great recreational activity for all ages. But if someone could not control and stop the entry of water it causes serious problems. Water intake can produce RWI.
(recreational water illness). RWI disorder can upset your stomach, a loss of appetite and if you inhale the water it can damage your lungs. Though pool water contains a very low amount of chlorine lot of intake can lead to chlorine poisoning
If you take care and swim with slow breathing while your head is under the water you can be safe from the entry of water. If you have any signs and symptoms try to avoid swimming for 2 to 3 weeks.
Be careful and conscious about your health. With some precaution, you can enjoy swimming and get cool results in intense heat.
