Swimming with hemorrhoids

[GFforever]

Hi everyone!

For 10+ years I was a competitive, year-round swimmer and now haven’t swam in a few years because of my hemorrhoids. I miss the sport a lot and being able to use all of my equipment (snorkel, fins, buoy, parachute, etc.) but don’t want to spread my nasty germs to anyone else. I’ve heard that swimming is great for hem. because it cleans them and gets the blood flowing down there vs. you shouldn’t swim until you are fully healed. I miss the endorphins so badly! Please share your advice/experience. 

Thank you! 

 

[apprehensiveengineer]

I wouldn't worry about it too much. Pool chemicals at public pools are tightly regulated, and are meant to handle this sort of thing. Short of you having something majorly pathogenic, or depositing major amounts of bodily fluid in the pool, I wouldn't worry. Actually, you're the vulnerable one if you're entering the pool with an open sore - pathogens can enter your body freely because your skin is not intact.

Think about it this way: people who are sick/getting sick swim in pools every day and infect the pool to some degree. People with parasites and skin infections go in the pool. They aren't supposed to, but they do because a lot of people don't know they have these things. Most pools get pooped in/puked in at least a few times per week (yes, really). Though the visible chunks get scooped out by hand and the pool is shocked, it would be foolish to think that 100% of stuff is getting removed. If you want to gross yourself out, go look in the filter baskets or in a "dusty" corner of the pool.

Bottom line is, pools are gross. Chemicals/filtering/cleaning/water cycling keep things good enough to keep the risk of disease transmission relatively low, but it is never zero. I say that you go back to the pool and enjoy your swimming, unless I've grossed you out too much

[cyclinglady]

I can attest to the dirtiness of a public pool.  I got a cut on my thumb.  I swam at the pool.  Within a day or so, my cut was infected.  I went to urgent care because the throbbing kept me awake at night and you could see the infection going up my hand and wrist.  It was a  Saturday and it took forever to see a doctor.  There were five kids who came in with broken bones and they were rightfully triaged first.  

The doctor lanced my thumb.  Took at look at the pus said it looked like pseudomonas bacteria.  Asked me if Inhad been in a pool.  

Now, I never swim with a cut.  ?