Open water swimming as a possible treatment for asthma

Asthma is a complex medical problem for which currently available treatment can be incompletely effective.

Open water swimming as a possible treatment for asthma

body of water under sky

Asthma is a complex medical problem for which currently available treatment can be incompletely effective.

This case report describes a 49 year old woman who had suffered from asthma since her teenage years that resolved after she took up regular open water swimming. After sharing this case report with an international open water swimming community on social media, over one hundred people with asthma commented that their symptoms had also improved after taking up this activity. The mechanism whereby open water swimming might alleviate asthma has not been established. Possibilities include benefits to mental health, anti-inflammatory effects, being more fit, improved immune function and suppression of the bronchoconstrictive component of the diving reflex. Further research might usefully confirm or refute these clinical observations.

Originally published on https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmed.2023.1169639/full.

Download the PDF article below.

Buy a moonwrap changing robe

Get changed and stay warm. The Moonwrap is a life saver when it comes to staying warm outdoors. Whether you’re wet or dry, the Moonwrap will soon warm you up. We designed the Moonwrap to withstand those muddy, wet, sandy days using durable, high quality materials.

More articles

Chill CIC

Chill UK and their mission to introduce prescription cold water swimming

Founded this year, Chill Therapy CIC is a non-profit providing cold water swimming sessions to help people manage anxiety and depression. So far, they have set up swim hubs around the country, taken NHS staff on cold water therapy courses and have been collecting quantitative data on cold water swimming. We spoke to founder Mike Morris to learn more about this amazing initiative, which is taking us one step closer to social prescription swimming.

go to this hub

JOIN US IN THE OPEN WATER FOR SWIM SESSIONS TO NATURALLY HELP MANAGE ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION