Doctors say thunderstorms can trigger asthma. Here are some possible reasons
Have you ever experienced an intense headache as the air pressure drops when a storm moves in?
You aren't alone.
There are a few weather-related illnesses - and in recent years, a new one appears to have emerged.
It has to do with localized thunderstorms, and it's called "thunderstorm asthma."
Dr. Anna Gunz, a pediatric ICU doctor at the Children's Hospital in London, Ontario, tells The Weather Network her emergency department sees an increase in patients during and around thunderstorms.
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"There's many different theories for why this may happen," Dr. Gunz says, "but it's not something that is clearly understood."
Experts are still trying to figure out the link between thunderstorms and asthma. Research suggests thunderstorms with powerful outflow winds are knocking pollens and other allergens out of trees, potentially triggering reactions.
There are also theories that raindrops could help disperse allergens, bringing them closer to the ground, or that the electric charges associated with lightning could be changing pollen's ability to be inhaled into the lungs.
Watch the video above to learn more.
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