Is it normal to have lung irritation after swimming? why do my lungs feel irritated after i go swimming? inhaling deeply after i swim causes me cough. it goes away after a day or so. this happens if i swim in a pool or at the lake.

You : You may have a condition called hypersensitivity pneumonitis, which is a form of allergy to inhaled (usually organic) compounds in the environment. There are literally hundreds of compounds that can result in an allergic response within the lungs and cause symptoms such as cough, shortness of breath and fevers. A relatively common allergen is actually a type of mycobacteria that has a propensity to reside in hot tubs, pools and water pipes. Although you would not expect your symptoms to occur when you swim at the lake compared to at the pool if it is due to an allergen, there are other explanations that could result in this observation. For example, it may be that you are actually allergic to the mycobacteria that reside in your showerhead of the shower you take after you swim at either the pool or lake. I recommend that you see a pulmonary or allergy specialist to make sure you do not have hypersensitivity pneumonitis. It is important to do this because left untreated, chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis can lead to irreversible lung scarring and shortness of breath.

Chlorine : Excessive chlorine in the pool.