Thunderstorms Can Cause Asthma Attacks—Here’s How - Article Health

Most thunderstorm horror testimonies contain lightning strikes. But a wild hurricane that struck Melbourne, Australia, final week became deadly in a one-of-a-kind way—by inducing bronchial asthma attacks.

According to the Associated Press, "Monday's storm precipitated rain-sodden ryegrass pollen grains to blow up and disperse over the city, with tiny pollen particles penetrating deep into lungs." Some eight,500 people ended up inside the hospital for treatment of breathing issues; and to date six human beings have died.

But how should an regular weather occasion trigger asthma assaults in such a lot of people?

It's not the thunder or the lightning, says Clifford W. Bassett, MD, the founder and clinical director of Allergy and Asthma Care of New York. It's the airflow styles in a typhoon that cause so-called "thunderstorm asthma." 

“Allergy-inducing grass grain debris get swept up into the air and wreck down, freeing pollen that could reason an bronchial asthma assault,” says Dr. Bassett. Rain and large gusts of wind help spread the pollen.

For all people who is genetically predisposed to bronchial asthma, exposure to any such high awareness of allergens can cause a excessive response, he says, even in the ones who've by no means had an assault earlier than. The AP reported that about a 3rd of the sufferers in Melbourne stated this turned into their first allergies assault.

While thunderstorm bronchial asthma is a unprecedented phenomenon, cases had been pronounced in other countries as nicely, including Italy, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the US (in Atlanta). Dr. Bassett expects it to turn out to be more not unusual as global warming ends in longer heat-weather seasons, to be able to permit for more exposure to pollen—and consequently result in extra threat in widespread of allergies and bronchial asthma signs.

If you recognize you have bronchial asthma, there are ways to defend against this freakish phenomenon, says Dr. Bassett. He suggests consulting an allergist and coming up with a plan to manage your symptoms in case of a intense assault.


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