March 5, 2024 — Thunderstorm asthma It can strike with little warning, and people may be left with symptoms of an asthma attack during or after the dark cloud passes.
If you are inexperienced, there are risks such as: thunderstorm asthma attack They multiply when heavy storms arrive on days when pollen and spores are very abundant. Storms lift these particles, add water, and cause them to explode into smaller particles. Electrical activity during storms can cause similar phenomena. Strong winds then blow these particles to the ground. People in the path of the storm may experience shortness of breath, coughing, and wheezing.
If thunderstorms are predicted to become more frequent and more intense with climate change, will the same be true for thunderstorm asthma?
„That's true, if only because pollen levels seem to be increasing in many areas because of climate change,“ said Dr. Frank S. Vilant, chief of allergy at Seattle Children's Hospital.
Most cases of thunderstorm asthma occur in the spring and early summer, but this can change. The pollen season is „lengthening and becoming more intense,“ he said. Shaan M. Waqar, MD, an allergist at ENT and Allergy Associates in Plainview, New York.
„Thunderstorm asthma events are rare, but changes in the environment and the increasing number of people with allergies may make such events more frequent and more severe in the future.“ agreed. Dr. Paul J. Beggs, Associate Professor, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia.
How to minimize risk
If you're sensitive to pollen, Vilant recommends continuing to monitor outdoor levels, especially during tree, grass and weed pollen season. Also pay attention to the weather forecast. Watch for thunderstorms that can have „winds of 40 mph or more and downdrafts of often colder air that amplify exposure to pollen.“ He pointed out that colds can also trigger asthma.
People with asthma should try to stay indoors with windows and doors closed during and for several hours after a strong thunderstorm. UAir filters can also help reduce risk, said Deepti V. Manian, MD, an allergist and immunologist at Stormont Vail Health in Topeka, Kansas.
Donald J. Dovolin, M.D., of Allergy and Asthma Physicians in Mount Laurel, N.J., continues controller therapy, such as long-acting inhalers and allergy medications, and recommends rescue inhalers and other medications to quickly treat symptoms. We recommend using a nebulizer. Ideally, people who seek shelter indoors during a storm should be „accompanied by a friend or family member who can quickly transport them to a hospital if necessary.“
No asthma diagnosis required
Even people who don't think they have asthma can be seriously affected. For example, people with hay fever allergic rhinitis Ajay Kevat, from the respiratory department at Queensland Children's Hospital in Brisbane, Australia, said they too are at risk, as is well known.
People with hay fever may experience worsening symptoms during or after thunderstorms. Villant said optimally treating allergic rhinitis during pollen season with non-sedating antihistamines or nasal steroids could be helpful, rather than „treating it with drugs after the symptoms are already severe.“ He said that there is a sex.
Part of the challenge is linking bad weather to worsening asthma symptoms. „In my experience, there is a lack of awareness about thunderstorm asthma,“ Manian says. For example, people like: non-allergic rhinitis, a condition also known as vasomotor rhinitis, may also be affected. “Many patients are often surprised when we introduce the concept of vasomotor rhinitis, which can be caused by environmental fluctuations.”
Gather clouds, collect evidence
Climate change could also change which Americans experience the most storms.researchers June 2022 Survey They predicted fewer storms in the Southern Plains and more storms in the Midwest and Southeast in the future.
Dr. Devorin practices in southern New Jersey, where he said, „Fortunately, we have not experienced any worsening of asthma due to thunderstorms.“
But climate change means thunderstorm asthma could occur in the future in places never seen before, Kebat said. Thunderstorm asthma review article Published online in June 2020. Asthma and Allergy Journal.
And this is not just a US concern. Asthma cases have been reported in Italy, the United Kingdom, the Middle East, Asia, and Australia due to severe thunderstorms. For example, in November 2016, a strong storm hit Melbourne, Australia. Temperatures have dropped by 10 degrees Celsius (about 18 degrees Fahrenheit) and humidity has risen to over 70%, increasing the concentration of pollen and other particulate matter in the air.
This event “triggered a thunderstorm-induced asthma epidemic.” unprecedented scaletempo, geographic scope and severity,” Beggs et al. wrote in a June 2018 report. lancet planetary health.
Such large-scale events can impact entire communities and rapidly deplete local health resources. Within 30 hours of the Melbourne storm, an unusually high 3,365 people visited their local emergency department with respiratory problems, and 476 people were admitted to hospital with asthma. 10 people died: Five people were hospitalized and five could not be revived or died while waiting for emergency services.
Kebat wrote that more research is needed „to best prepare for this unpredictable and significant public health threat.“
People whose asthma is triggered by pollen or mold spores are especially at risk for thunderstorm asthma, Waqar said. If you're unsure, an allergist can help diagnose and treat your allergy risk.
More severe thunderstorms are just one of the asthma triggers associated with climate change. Last summer, wildfires in Canada sent smoke across the northern United States, causing widespread asthma exacerbations. Please refer to. WebMD Slideshow Learn more about how rain, humidity, and seasonal weather changes can cause asthma problems.