It doesn’t happen often but when it strikes, it can be deadly.
With the hot summer weather comes an increased risk of suffering from a serious asthma attack, if you’re an asthma sufferer.
“Thunder Fever” is something that can happen when severe weather conditions combine. Specific wind patterns break down grass and rye pollen into tiny particles. It’s a rare event, but when it happens, these pieces don’t get caught in the miniscule hairs lining your nose and sinuses, but rather travel straight down into your lungs where they wreak havoc.
In November 2016 in Melbourne, Australia, this phenomenon killed 8 otherwise healthy asthma sufferers. It also resulted in 8,000 hospitalizations, shocking medical authorities. Similar outbreaks have occurred worldwide during thunderstorms, documented since the 1980s.
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How can you protect yourself, if you have asthma? Medical experts say that one way of controlling symptoms and potentially stopping them from spiralling out of control is to always ensure you’re treating your asthma properly, if needed. So, if you take a puffer regularly, don’t skip out on it, especially during hot weather. Stick to your regime.
In addition, stay indoors during questionable weather. You likely aren’t running around outside in a thunderstorm anyways, and Thunder Fever is rare, but when the wind picks up and the skies are dark, don’t wait until the rain falls to seek out clear, indoor air. Particular patterns of weather and wind are what cause Thunder Fever to happen, and pollen to be whipped around and broken apart in a dangerous way. It shouldn’t hurt you in your living room.
For more on this phenomenon, click here.
