Thunderstorms can cause severe attacks in people with asthma or allergies.
Storms in recent days have caused a peak in the number of patients in respiratory distress in emergency departments in several regions according to The Parisian. In question: the asthma of storm caused by the concentration of the particles in the air, in particular the pollens, because of the cold descending currents.
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With the wind, the quantities potentially inhaled are much greater, hence an increased risk of triggering an asthma attack. During a thunderstorm, these particles rise up into the clouds, where humidity and lightning break the particles down to a size that allows them to easily enter the nose, sinuses and lungs, a study explains. in 2016 in the journal of the American Meteorogical society.
In France, more than 4 million people suffer from asthma, and nearly one in three adults is allergic to pollen, according to Public Health France.