Swim with full face mask?

Quoted message said:

Im not a good swimmer but used to enjoy doing it in the past. It always improved my flexibility
so.... and left me feeling great that day.

I used to put pull buoys between my legs and just swim laps using my upper body and arms only.
Like I said... Im not a great swimmer but that's what I did.

Anyway..... I haven't done any swimming for years now.... and this desk job where I set all day is
just sucking the life right out of me. So... Id like to start swimming again. Im 45 yr old male
and very out of shape.

However.... one thing I had problems with when swimming on a reg basis was sinus infections and
irritations due to water in the nose and sinuses.

So..... Im wondering if it possible to swim using a full face mask that covers my eyes as well as
my nose.... leaving only my mouth to breather thru?

I always used goggles when swimming in the past but they only covered my eyes.... and left my nose
uncovered.

Advice or opinions?

Yes, you can use a mask, but you will want one with a low profile, or it might come off every time
you push off the wall.

Have you tried just adding noseclips?

martin

Quoted message said:

However.... one thing I had problems with when swimming on a reg basis was sinus infections and
irritations due to water in the nose and sinuses.

I should make another point here. I hardly ever get water in my nose during a workout. It is just
natural to me to always have positive pressure in my nose and mouth whenever there is the
possibility of water coming in. I do swallow water, but I rarely get water in my nose.

So, unless you aren't doing it right, you aren't actually getting water in your nose, which means
the irritation is probably caused by chloramines in the air you you are breathing. If that is the
case then even wearing a mask or using noseclips might not fix the problem.

martin

Quoted message said:

Have you tried just adding noseclips?

Hmm...... no <sheepish smile>

I never even thought abt nose clips. Duh!! I cant believe that didn't occur to me.

I will try them...

Still..... Im curious abt the mask idea as then Id only have "one" thing to mess with
rather than two

John

Quoted message said:

So, unless you aren't doing it right, you aren't actually getting water in your nose, which means
the irritation is probably caused by chloramines in the air you you are breathing. If that is the
case then even wearing a mask or using noseclips might not fix the problem.

I see....

If that is the case.... is there nothing I can do to prevent it?

John

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Have you tried just adding noseclips?

Hmm...... no <sheepish smile>

I never even thought abt nose clips. Duh!! I cant believe that didn't occur to me.

I will try them...

Still..... Im curious abt the mask idea as then Id only have "one" thing to mess with rather
than two

Go to a dive shop. Tell the guy you want the mask for training in a swimming pool, not for diving.
You will be pushing off the wall underwater, and you don't wat the mask to come off no matter how
fast you go, so you want one with a low profile.

martin

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

So, unless you aren't doing it right, you aren't actually getting water in your nose, which means
the irritation is probably caused by chloramines in the air you you are breathing. If that is the
case then even wearing a mask or using noseclips might not fix the problem.

I see....

If that is the case.... is there nothing I can do to prevent it?

You can see your doctor and be tested for an allergy. There might be something you can do there.
If you are getting infections repeatedly, then there is probably some other problem, which the
doctor might be able to find a fix for. Most people don't get repeated sinus infections from
swimming. As I already said, you might just not be breathing correctly, and that is actually the
most likely problem at this point. You shouldn't be getting water in your nose, and certainly not
in your sinuses.

Another possibility is that the pool where you swam was not maintained properly, which might have
caused corrosive chemicals to hang in the air over the surface. That would cause trouble for most
everyone, but it usually only happens in very hot climates.

martin

are you sure you're getting the infection from water in your nose? as someone (sorry, i forgot who!)
just said, water rarely goes into the nose, as most swimmers tend to breathe out very lightly, or
position their heads at a natural angle to prevent this. as i said on some other string, my wife was
a diver, and got infections from getting water in her ears, which spread to her throat, and
eventually everywhere. have you ever had swimmers ear at all? i also think the allergy test is a
good one...

Quoted message said:

my wife was a diver, and got infections from getting water in her ears, which spread to her
throat, and eventually everywhere. have you ever had swimmers ear at all?

Good point!

Honestly I don't know. Could very well be thru my ears!!

John

me63401 said:

Quoted message said:

my wife was a diver, and got infections from getting water in her ears, which spread to her
throat, and eventually everywhere. have you ever had swimmers ear at all?

Good point!

Honestly I don't know. Could very well be thru my ears!!

John

I've got a family, well two sons and a father, that all have problems with nasal drip & sinus
infections. Non of them seem capable of avoiding cold/hayfever like symptoms without a nose
clip. YMMV

--Mike

John try the nose clip. I am wondering what the "full face mask with a low profile" is. How can I
find one on the Internet. Goggles give me a racoon face for several hours by indenting bags under
my eyes and a red line across the bridge of my nose. The Seal Mask does the same thing. It doesn't
seal unless it is right under my eyes. The speedo seal mask leaves the red line across the bridge
of my nose.

[email hidden] wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

my wife was a diver, and got infections from getting water in her ears, which spread to her
throat, and eventually everywhere. have you ever had swimmers ear at all?

Good point!

Honestly I don't know. Could very well be thru my ears!!

John

Dory said:

John try the nose clip. I am wondering what the "full face mask with a low profile" is. How can I
find one on the Internet. Goggles give me a racoon face for several hours by indenting bags under
my eyes and a red line across the bridge of my nose. The Seal Mask does the same thing. It doesn't
seal unless it is right under my eyes. The speedo seal mask leaves the red line across the bridge
of my nose.

Low profile refers to the distance the mask sticks out from the face. You wouldn't want to buy one
on the internet without trying it on. You will need a good seal, because when you push off the wall
underwater, the force of the water agains the edge of the mask will tend to loosen the seal. You
don't have suction in the mask, you see, because it covers your nose.

martin

Mike Edey <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

me63401 said:

Quoted message said:

my wife was a diver, and got infections from getting water in her ears, which spread to her
throat, and eventually everywhere. have you ever had swimmers ear at all?

Good point!

Honestly I don't know. Could very well be thru my ears!!

John

I've got a family, well two sons and a father, that all have problems with nasal drip & sinus
infections. Non of them seem capable of avoiding cold/hayfever like symptoms without a nose
clip. YMMV

--Mike

Same for me.

Even if you are "doing it right" and not getting water up your nose swimming, you are still going to
get water in your face from things like being swamped by another swimmer's wake when you turn your
head to breathe, especially in a busy pool.

I only need to get the smallest amount of water up my nose to get a blocked & stuffy nose. Then
because my nose is blocked, I am at more risk of getting sinus infections.

Maybe it is an allergy that I could build up a tolerance to over a time, but I have never stuck it
out long enough to get to that point. I also tried using a steroid nasal spray but I would much
rather wear a nose clip than pump by body full of chemicals.

The nose clip works for me.

Liz D

Quoted message said:

The nose clip works for me.

OK guys!!

Thanks for all the help!!

I will give the cheapest and simplest method a try 1st.... and that would be nose clips

John