Thunderstorms and Asthma

Check out an emergency room just after a thunderstorm and, chances are, you will find that asthma visits are up about 3 percent to 15 percent.

In a recent study done in Atlanta, Georgia by researchers at the University of Georgia and Emory University, researchers have discovered a link between thunderstorms and asthma attacks that could have a “significant public health impact.”

Some people may find it odd that thunderstorms, which many still believe “clear the air” of pollen and pollutants, are implicated in asthma attacks.  According to the authors of the Atlanta study, the most prominent hypothesis as to why it happens is that “pollen grains may rupture upon contact with rainwater, releasing allergens, and that gusty winds from the thunderstorm downdrafts spread particles…which may ultimately increase the risk of asthma attacks.”

Dr. Robert E. Dales, a Canadian researcher, said that hospital visits for asthma were 15 percent more frequent on days with thunderstorms than on other days.  People who have more severe asthma problems after thunderstorms should “stay indoors and use asthma medication if needed, Dr. Dales said. “ But they should also be tested to see if they are allergic to fungi.”

What can you do to protect yourself?  In this situation the protection is very straightforward.  As always, remain on your regular asthma medication.  Anytime that you are going to be out in weather that is adverse in the least, carry your fast-acting asthma spray.

Actually you should have that with you anyway.  It is always better to be safe than sorry.

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