Be alert, Beijing has received many cases! Symptoms are similar to those of a cold, and the cause of the disease is at its peak

According to the People's Daily Health Client: "After this rainstorm, my entire respiratory tract tightened, especially on the night of the thunder and the next day, I had obvious asthma symptoms." On September 5, at the outpatient department of the Allergy Department of Beijing Century Memorial Hospital, a Beijing patient told reporters that in the past, the symptoms of rhinitis would be relatively alleviated when it rained, but this time they were significantly worse.

The patient was diagnosed with "thunderstorm asthma." Wang Xueyan, director of the Allergy Center of Beijing Century Altar Hospital, told reporters that in recent days, Beijing Century Altar Hospital has received 6 patients with "thunderstorm asthma", and the peak season of autumn pollen in northern my country is expected to last for 2-3 weeks, so patients with allergies due to thunderstorm weather need to pay special attention.

On September 5, allergy patients waited for diagnosis and treatment outside the outpatient department of the Beijing Century Altar Hospital. Photo by Xu Shiyu

The key to "thunderstorm asthma" is "lightning strike". Wang Xueyan introduced that in thunderstorm weather, the wind blows up allergens such as pollen and mold. After the lightning strike, these allergens are broken into smaller particles, which are more easily inhaled by the human body, causing or aggravating asthma symptoms such as coughing, chest tightness, shortness of breath, and difficulty breathing, which is called "thunderstorm asthma".

In Wang Xueyan's opinion, thunderstorm asthma has gradually become a collective disease. Many allergy patients have experienced a certain degree of aggravated symptoms after thunderstorms, which are difficult to recover for several days.

"The northern part of my country has entered the peak season of pollen allergy in autumn, which is expected to last for another two to three weeks." Wang Xueyan reminded that patients who have been diagnosed with pollen allergy need to use medication in a standardized manner, and undiagnosed patients should not mistake pollen allergy for a cold and delay treatment. Once thunderstorms begin, allergy patients should reduce outdoor activities, strengthen protection when going out, and remember to wear masks and protective glasses.

After the heavy rain, the number of patients with cough and asthma increased

Some hospitals see more than 800 patients a day

Recently, many netizens in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, posted videos showing a long queue at a hospital's asthma clinic and a crowded hospital lobby. A doctor said, "Asthma patients, come to me and take a picture of the medicine name to buy it. If you don't know how to use the medicine, I will teach you." Another doctor explained to the patient's family, "It's because the pollen concentration is too high."

Image taken from video

Mr. Li, a family member of the patient, said that after the rain, the child suddenly felt difficulty breathing, which might be due to the high concentration of pollen and the child's poor resistance. After arriving at the hospital, many people came to see this disease, and he had never encountered a similar situation before. After treatment, the child has improved.

A pediatric staff member from the Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University said that more than 800 people came to the hospital for this disease yesterday. They can rinse the nose with saline solution to wash away the pollen in the nose, which can alleviate the symptoms.

Pollen allergy closely linked to thunderstorm asthma

Dr. Wang Wenping from Beijing Century Altar Hospital said that it is generally believed that seasonal allergic rhinitis caused by seasonal grass pollen allergy is the most sensitive risk factor for thunderstorm asthma. Among patients with thunderstorm asthma, the prevalence of seasonal allergic rhinitis is as high as 60% to 99%, of which 70% present with moderate or severe allergic rhinitis. Studies have found that among patients with thunderstorm asthma, the previous asthma diagnosis rate is 22% to 42%, and more than half of the patients have never been diagnosed with asthma, but still have asthma-related symptoms. Current asthma and hospitalization for asthma in the past 12 months are considered risk factors for hospitalization for thunderstorm asthma.

Therefore, pollen allergy is closely related to thunderstorm asthma. Patients should actively treat pollen allergy to prevent the occurrence of allergic asthma. It is recommended to receive preventive pollen allergen-specific immunotherapy to form "immune tolerance" to pollen allergens and achieve "desensitization". During the thunderstorm season of pollen season, try to reduce pollen contact and use anti-allergic drugs preventively to avoid accidents.

How to prevent "thunderstorm asthma"?

1

What is thunderstorm asthma?

Thunderstorm asthma refers to an acute attack of respiratory diseases such as asthma caused by thunderstorms. The symptoms are severe and the disease progresses rapidly, usually in groups, with many patients having attacks at the same time.
The earliest report of thunderstorm asthma came from Birmingham, England in 1983. The most serious thunderstorm asthma occurred in Melbourne in 2016, resulting in more than 8,500 emergency room visits or hospitalizations and eight deaths.
Thunderstorms can not only cause acute attacks in people with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but can also cause asthma symptoms such as shortness of breath and wheezing in ordinary people.
2

Why do thunderstorms exacerbate allergies?

Thunderstorm asthma occurs during pollen season.

Some studies suggest that cold air currents before thunderstorms can carry pollen or mold particles into clouds, where moisture and lightning can cause the pollen particles to burst, releasing smaller particles.

Pollen particles that return to the ground are smaller and more easily enter the respiratory tract. In addition, the strong electric field generated by thunderstorms may increase the allergenicity of allergens released by pollen, making them more harmful.

Simply put, the strong wind before the thunderstorm carries the pollen into the sky, and then the thunderstorm breaks the pollen into pieces.

These fragments of pollen, amplified by the strong electric field generated by thunderstorms, finally flexibly penetrate into your nasal cavity and cause asthma.

3

How to prevent it?

First, it is recommended to close doors and windows and stay indoors when thunderstorms occur. More importantly, even if the sun is shining after a thunderstorm, you should stay indoors for a while. Because the evaporation of rainwater will bring a large number of small particles broken by thunderstorms into the air. Secondly, if your child has been diagnosed with allergic rhinitis or bronchial asthma, you must adhere to standardized medication and regular follow-up visits during the rainy season. You can also ask your doctor to prepare preventive and relief drugs for you in advance, so that you can handle the acute attack yourself and go to the hospital as soon as possible if necessary.

Finally, you can rinse your nose and face with salt water or clean water after returning from the outdoors. If conditions permit, you can use an air purifier.

Source: Beijing Evening News, People's Daily Online Popular Science Comprehensive Hangzhou Daily, Comprehensive Baoyi Second Affiliated Hospital, Jiupai News, Jimu News, Red Star News, Inner Mongolia Weather, China News Network.