Reaction to Thunderstorm

[Snowdrop27]

Last night there was a thunderstorm where I live around 7pm last night. I was sitting on my bed looking out of the window looking at the storm developing. So I closed the wundows,bedroom door and turned on my air purfier.

I felt the pressure of the storm building as my chest started to tightness in the middle of my chest. I used my ventolin wuth four puffs which resolved my tight chest.

I found it diffucult to sleep last night as it was so hot and humid. I woke again at 3am and had so more ventolin 4 puffs. Then was able to get back to sleep.

I woke up with a sore chest as I think my muscle was so tight. Still sore this afternoon.

I never had this reaction to a thunderstorm before. What are other people's reactions to thunderstorms?

[Robin77]

Fine with thunderstorms but wondering about high humidity. High humidity last night and I got very short of breath. No other symptoms, just short of breath.

[winnielake in reply to Robin77]

I have the same problem.Very high humidity where I live,Mississippi in the U.S.Tonight my chest is tight , I have a lot of anxiety and I can't sleep,Obviosly I'm not in the bed at 2:22a.m.And to make matters even worse my backs bummed out from work so I'm just laying on the floor for a while.

[emmasue]

I struggle sometimes with Thunderstorms. High humidity is a problem with me, especially if I need to be active and it's really humid. My biggest problem at the moment is hay fever. I suppose this is the downside of nice weather.

[Snowdrop27 in reply to emmasue]

Yes I heard that hayfever is bad at the moment.

[Lysistrata Administrator Community Ambassador]

I find humidity and low atmospheric pressure both trigger me, so yes thunderstorms are always fun! Usually get a nice tight chest helpfully informing me about the weather.

[Snowdrop27]

So what do you do reach for your ventolin I presumme.

[Lysistrata Administrator Community Ambassador]

In the end yes! I try to see if it will go away by itself but it usually doesn't. Eventually the Ventolin should help.

[Snowdrop27 in reply to Lysistrata]

Thanks for the advice. I thought I had done the right thing. My chest is still a bit sore but much bbette than this morning.

[Hidden]

HI Snowdrop27

Thunderstorms can trigger asthma flare ups and attacks in people with asthma. It's not fully understood why this happens.

One reason could be that when it's very humid, the windy conditions during a thunderstorm blow lots of pollen and mould spores high into the air. The moisture higher up in the air breaks them into much smaller pieces.

As these smaller pieces of pollen and mould particles then settle back down, they can be breathed in, irritating the smaller airways of the lungs. This can trigger asthma symptoms.

bit.ly/2BwL4kj

Hope that helps,

Dita

[Anniecath]

Hi, years ago I had a terrible asthma attack that occurred just before a storm broke. To sidetrack slightly, some years later, I had a job as a bookbinder and was working on some medical periodicals. In one of them was an article about this. Apparently it is documented that rates of asthma attack admissions to A & E rise during thundery weather. The thought is that pollen and other allergens are broken up into smaller microscopic peices therby being inhaled deeper into the lungs, thus causing an attack. Now if its thundery I take extra medication and keep my ventolin inhaler handy. Don't know of any other tactics to suggest though.

[Snowdrop27 in reply to Anniecath]

Thanks I read that too on asthma uk website

[Hidden]

Hi,

I have asthma and migraine. Asthma is sometimes triggered by storms (which unfortunately are very common in my country). Migraine is almost always triggered by storms. Actually I can tell if a storm is on its way 2-3 days before the weather service, because I have the so called prodromal symptoms of migraine, like yawning, peeing, full ears, tingling, prickling, irritability and visual auras (zigzags, blimd spots).

I wonder if asthma and migraine could have a common pathway related to thunderstorms. Regarding migraine there’s a great study showing that lightnings (number and type) are associated with a higher incidence of migraine. There are negative and positive lightnings, can’t remember which ones are good or bad for migraneurs, though. Check Dr. Vince Martin (USA).

Another theory is that positive ions are created during storms and they are bad for asthma sufferers. There’s a complex explanation but you can check it at Case Adams book: Asthma Solved Naturally , I’m not advocating the book or all of its contents but this was the first and only source of this information that I have found so far.

🤗

[asthmatim]

It is know as thunderstorm asthma. It has been study in Australia and people have die from it. I have brittle asthma and am very careful when there is thunderstorms. I will have my nebulizer before the storm hits. This has stopped me from being sent to hospital.

[susanavalentina]

I think is the worry that made

your chest tight, are you afraid of thunderstorms perhaps?

[Snowdrop27]

Hi susanvalentine I understand why my chest got tight see asthma uk on weather triggers i.e thunderstorms.

No I not afraid of thunderstorms ☺. I was as a child yes and my mum use to tell me it was... The angels moving the furniture in heaven and the lightning turning the lights on and off. 💧💥