It is usually presumed that during rain and storm events, pollen and allergens gets cleaned out of the air to result in a drop in these within the atmosphere. However, rain and drastic meteorological changes surrounding showers and storms can make some people’s symptoms worse and potentially deadly. This was observed in Australia, as an outbreak in 2016 resulted in 4 deaths and over 1,900 people rushed to hospitals due to severe breathing problems.
Around 1 in 4 people with allergic rhinitis (hay fever) also have asthma, so it is important to recognize that pollen can trigger asthma as well as hay fever symptoms. Many people with hay fever due to grass pollen allergy can get wheeze or chest tightness in the spring and summer season when they also have hay fever. This is likely to be asthma triggered by grass pollen allergy.
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