Allergy sufferers generally hate those muggy, warm days of summer as they are synonymous with some of the worst allergy symptoms of the year. For that reason, most people who have seasonal allergies hope for thunderstorms, which are known to break up pollens and molds that prevent them from functioning at their best in their day-to-day life.
However, recent studies indicate that there could be a relationship between thunderstorms and increased allergy and asthma symptoms. Many scientists postulate that symptoms could be caused by the electricity, updrafts and down drafts that are created by the storms, but these are just hypotheses thus far.
Additionally, windy storms oftentimes cause pollen and other allergens to rise from the ground. With the pairing of harsh rains that pulverize those particles into smaller, more dispersed bits, it is no wonder that some allergy-prone people experience heightened symptoms. Coupled with the gusts of wind and rain, some scientists also believe that the electricity in a storm could charge the pollen particles, making them more likely to stick to the inside of our lungs.
The primary challenge that scientists studying this phenomenon face is the difficulty in gathering concrete evidence that asthma and allergy symptoms result from a thunderstorm because of the fleeting nature of the storms.
According to Elizabeth Matsui, associate professor of pediatrics, epidemiology and environmental health sciences at Johns Hopkins Children's Center, "The thing about these studies is that they are very hard to do; that they're all retrospective means that it's very hard to extrapolate any information about one particular study to all thunderstorm asthma."
When it comes to allergy prevention, being prepared for any and all of your symptoms is key. If you are in need of advice, tips or products, contact Allergy Be Gone today!
