Why Can’t I Breathe? Vocal Cord Dysfunction in Swimmers

Generally, there are multiple contributors at play. The guidance of a trained, medical professional will be imperative in helping to decipher the puzzle of factors that are provoking symptoms.

I gasp for air. But my lungs don’t expand. The air gets caught in my throat like a punch being blocked in a fight. Instead of quiet breathing, I hear the all too familiar sound of my high-pitched, gainless attempt to inhale the precious air that my body needs.

And then again I hear the countdown, 3-2-1 GO. I push off the wall for another 25 underwater.

The reality of a swimmer with vocal cord dysfunction (VCD).