For Some People, Thunderstorms Worsen Asthma and Allergies

August 14, 2014- Rain can often provide relief for allergy sufferers when it washes away pollen in the air, but some people experience a rare, little-known problem called thunderstorm-related asthma.

It’s not fully understood by scientists, but thunderstorm asthma can cause labored breathing for those with asthma and allergies. Experts hypothesize that heavy thunderstorm winds create updrafts that lift pollen and mold particles from the ground. Falling rain saturates and bursts the particles into tiny pieces. A downdraft then spreads those small particles into the air we breathe. Some think that the electrical charge of a storm may make these tiny particles more likely to stick in the lungs.

The main allergen culprits behind thunderstorm asthma are thought to be grains of pollen, especially grasses and weeds, and mold spores.

To read more click here.

Carnow Conibear and Associates is a demonstrated leader in the occupational and environmental health professions since 1975. To find out more, click here or call us at (800) 860-4486.