Taking a dip in a bubbling hot tub with friends may seem like a good idea, but scientists warn it’s not safe at all.
For centuries, people have bathed together – the first state-funded public baths were opened by the ancient Romans. They were often used for relaxation as well as other more personal pleasures. Science Alert.
Thousands of years have passed and today public baths and baths no longer look so attractive, but some are still attracted by the opportunity to take a dip in a hot tub or jacuzzi, the sale of which has skyrocketed in recent times.
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Note that hot tubs are often used for therapeutic purposes, for example, for the treatment of inflamed joints in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. In addition, swimming in the jacuzzi with friends has also become one of the ways to have fun and relax with the company. However, scientists warn that going to public baths, swimming pools, public hot tubs and hot tubs may not be safe. And it looks like it’s time for us to hear the whole unpleasant truth about them.
It’s important to remember that when we step into a hot tub, whatever is on our skin automatically enters the churning warm water, says Pryrose Freestone, Senior Lecturer in Clinical Microbiology at the University of Leicester. Including about 100 mg or so of feces, which are usually present between the buttocks, as well as sweat, various viruses and fungi. If there are several people in the hot tub at once, or if the water was not purified before bathing, we are essentially “boiling in this soup of bacteria and bodily fluids.”
The researchers note that such an unpleasant truth about hot tubs is actually also due to the fact that people do not follow the basic rules during public bathing. Namely:
- shower before and after swimming in the jacuzzi;
- use of filters for water purification;
- water treatment with microbicides (chlorine, bromine)
Freestone notes that hot tubs also pose a number of other threats that you should not be aware of.
Firstly, the water temperature in them is usually around 40 °C. Bathing in such water can lead to overheating, which can lead to fainting and potential drowning. This is especially true for pregnant women, children and people with concomitant diseases. Jacuzzi is recommended to be taken no longer than 15 minutes and be supervised.
Secondly, public hot tubs in hotels and spas can potentially be rich in infectious bacteria, especially if the water is reused. Improperly maintained public hot tubs can lead to outbreaks of infections caused by human-associated bacteria that survive well in the water.
Thirdit is known that bacteria found in hot tubs can cause:
- intestinal infections;
- diarrhea
- septicemia;
- skin infections;
- urinary tract infections;
- respiratory infections, including legionnaires’ disease.
FourthA drop of water in hot tub steam can contain Legionella bacteria, which can lead to pneumonia if inhaled.
Is there a way to clean the jacuzzi?
Freestone notes that disinfectants that contain chlorine can be used for this. When bodily fluids such as sweat are mixed with chlorine, they form an irritant called chloramine. This substance is extremely caustic and causes pain in the eyes when swimming in public pools.
In fact, the more bodily fluids are deposited in the water, the stronger the smell of chloramine will be, indicating low water levels and high bacteria levels. That is, if the hot tub has a strong smell, you should think about the fact that it is unsafe to use it.
Previously, Focus wrote that doctors report cases of pulmonary edema after swimming in open water.
