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Headache While Swimming
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DdB View Drop Down
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Posts: 38 		  Quote DdB Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Headache While Swimming
    Posted: Nov/04/2009 at 12:52pm
All,
 
I am a tri rookie, and I have an embarrasing question. 
 
Whenever I do my swim practice, I have a huge headache, very high pressured one, regardless of how hard or easy I swim.  I have tried both the silicone and latex swim caps, but they don't make any difference.  When I take off the cap, I can see that the veins in my head look like they are ready to pop.  It only happens when I swim.  I hydrate really well (from swallowing the pool water) and the water bottle at the pool side. 
 
Anyone has had this experience?  Are swim caps only come in one size?
 
Thanks a bunch...
 
Dd
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Tessy View Drop Down
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Posts: 241 		  Quote Tessy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov/04/2009 at 5:09pm
Maybe it's the goggles?
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Posts: 38 		  Quote DdB Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov/05/2009 at 1:46pm
Hm... didn't think of that.. let me try different ones.. thanks
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Posts: 61 		  Quote MelissaH Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov/06/2009 at 5:06pm
goggles would be my first suggestion, the other is do you think you could be getting an allergic reaction to the pool chemicals, ie. a sinus headache. Have found some pool affect me differently (have really bad allergies/asthma) and started using a nose plug and it has made a big difference.  Didnt use for several years and then new pool/new chemicals!
Who keeps Texas beautiful- You do! Please don't litter.
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Posts: 38 		  Quote DdB Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov/10/2009 at 12:45pm

Melissa,

Thanks very much.  I'll try the different variables.  I swim @ FCAC this Friday w/ Markell, so I'll pay attention to it.  The headaches seem to have incurred while swiming indoor @LAF.
 
Dd
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Posts: 22 		  Quote Sweatt Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jun/30/2010 at 2:39pm
I had the same problem when I started my training and ended up coming to the conclusion that I was not breathing correctly to allow my body to get rid of the CO2 in my lungs.  I changed to a breath every 3 strokes and make it a point to breath out starting on stroke 2 in order to empty my lungs completly prior to the next breath.  I have also started working in 5, 7, 9 strokes before breath work as well. 
 
See information for an article I found:

Symptoms of High Carbon Dioxide Levels

  • Headaches, muscle twitches, and disorientation are all signs of having too much carbon dioxide in your bloodstream.

    Causes of High Carbon Dioxide Levels

  • The most common cause of hypercapnia is hypoventilation, repeatedly breathing in insufficient levels of air to allow the respiratory system toexpunge the carbon dioxide from the body.

    • Major Ramification
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    Posts: 30     		  Quote meowracer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jun/30/2010 at 10:25pm
    Hi Dd - it's Shana...I think you know David Metcalf??  

    I would think instead of the cap, it could be the goggles like Tessy suggested.  But if your veins look like that, I wonder.  I wear the Aqua Sphere goggles - can't think of the style but they are bigger than the usual goggles.  I also swim with nose plugs b/c some of the chemicals to get me something fierce, as somebody else suggested above. Are you making your goggles too tight to keep them from leaking?
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    Posts: 38     		  Quote DdB Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jul/01/2010 at 9:10am
    Sweatt and Shana,
     
    Thanks for all the information.  So I looked into the gogles, I bought 6 different pairs, and I made sure that they do the "suction" well, and I don't think the goggles were the culprit.
     
    Someone gave me a cloth swimming cap that you can only find in Japan, and I tried that too and I still have the headache.  I swam in an outdoor pool to see if the enclosed pool was too much for me, and it helped a bit, but not significant. 
     
    So, I am going to try expelling my CO2 on the 2nd stroke before taking a breath on the 3rd stroke. 
     
    Sweatt, before you did the 3-stroke breath, what was your pattern?  More strokes or less strokes thatn 3-strokes/breath? 
     
    Thanks so much for all your help and postings...
     
    Dd
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    Sweatt View Drop Down
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    Posts: 22     		  Quote Sweatt Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jul/01/2010 at 10:28am
    Dd,
     
    What I was doing before and getting the headache was trying to breath out on my 3rd stroke while my face was in the water and then as I turned to the side breath in.  During the other strokes, I was holding my breath.  I think I was not fully emptying my lungs and getting the CO2 out.  Yet, I still felt like I was breathing ok.
     
    Greg
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