Dr. Elissa B. Gartenberg once had a patient who had been swimming competitively for years. A teenage girl, she was strong, fit, and dedicated, but her asthma continually flared up during indoor practices. At first, Gartenberg thought the flare-ups were just the usual exercise-induced symptoms, but they got worse. The patient started wheezing almost every time she swam, even when she wasn’t pushing herself too hard.
She eventually figured out that it wasn’t just the exercise—but the pool itself. The chlorine fumes from the indoor facility were irritating the girl’s lungs. Poor ventilation made it worse, and the buildup of chemical byproducts in the air triggered her symptoms. Once she switched to an outdoor pool and used her controller inhaler more consistently, the difference was night and day.
