All’s not cool in the pool

THE summertime, a rejuvenating dip the inviting cool cool pool is just what the doctor ordered.
But if the pool is not cleaned and if the chlorine is a tad too much then beware--- for all its ‘panacea all ills’ status, the swimming pool might just land you up in the doctor’s office seeking a prescription instead of a glistening toned up superbod! Not a pretty poolside story but then allergies and eye infection also don’t make a pretty picture.
Says Dr Amarjeet Singh, additional professor, Community Medicine, PGI, The contaminated water in a community pool can cause a variety of fungal infections such as diarrhea and skin, ear, eye and upper respiratory infections, particularly if the swimmer’s head is submerged. Although these might prove be small health hazards, what can be really painful and which goes almost human contact.
The risk of illness or infection associated with swimming pools has also been linked to faecal contamination of the water especially in the case of children who are not toilet trained.
Water borne diseases like Hepatitis A and E, diarrhea, gastrointestinal diseases and typhoid can also be caused.� About the harmful effects of chlorine, Dr Lavasa states an interesting paradox, “While hyper chlorination kills the virus which cause these infections, de -chlorination is important to make the chlorine amount suitable for human contact so the pool authorities have to be very specific in the chlorination standards.�
With regards allergies, contaminated water can give rise to nasal and bronchial allergies that is why asthmatics who are prescribed swimming should only venture in hygienic pools. Eye infections are also not uncommon as eye specialist Dr MMS Gill tells us, “Viral conjunctivitis also called swimming pool conjunctivitis with its symptoms