For people with severe allergies or asthma, stormy weather can be a serious health threat. This is because of the possibility of asthma, that is, ‘thunderstorm asthma’, which occurs when heavy rain accompanied by thunder falls.
Thunderstorm asthma was first reported in the UK and Australia in the 1980s, and the number of cases is steadily increasing. When a severe thunderstorm passed in Melbourne, Australia in 2016, ‘Thunderstorm Asthma’ drew attention around the world. At that time, at least eight people died and more than 9,000 people called for urgent treatment for asthma, putting health care facilities in crisis.
Although thunderstorm asthma doesn’t happen often, it’s important to understand what triggers it if you have asthma or a seasonal allergy. Harvard Health Publishing, USA, introduced what you need to know regarding thunderstorm asthma.
What is thunderstorm asthma
This is an asthma attack that begins or worsens immediately following a thunderstorm. Anyone with asthma can get it, but it mainly affects people with seasonal allergic rhinitis. Seasonal allergies appear with symptoms such as runny nose, sneezing, and itchy eyes, and are most severe in spring, summer or early fall.
Rain tends to lower pollen levels by purifying the air, and rainy weather tends to reduce allergy-induced asthma symptoms.
However, thunderstorms can make asthma worse by: First, the cold downdraft condenses air particles such as pollen molds. These particles are washed up by clouds of high humidity. In the clouds, wind, humidity, and lightning break air particles into pieces that can easily enter the nose and lungs. The gusts condense the small particles so that large amounts can be inhaled at once.
What increases your risk of thunderstorm asthma
According to a new study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 144 of 228 people with seasonal allergies reported experiencing thunderstorm asthma. as high as 65%. Also, asthma attacks caused by thunderstorms are not mild. Nearly half of those who had seizures received emergency treatment at the hospital.
Risk factors for experiencing thunderstorm asthma among people with seasonal allergies include:
– poorly controlled asthma symptoms (checked with standard asthma questionnaire)
– Low score on fast exhalation test (General Breathing Test for Asthma)
-High levels of specific antibodies (IgE specific to ryegrass pollen)
-High levels of certain blood cells (eosinophils)
-High levels of nitric oxide when exhaling
Not everyone with these risk factors will develop thunderstorm asthma. However, knowing the risk factors is useful for prevention and treatment. If you have a risk factor, you need to check the weather forecast carefully. Taking the possibility of a thunderstorm as a warning in advance, prepare emergency medicine in advance or decide whether to stay indoors without going out.
Reporter Lee Bo-hyun [email protected]
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