Rain washes pollen away, but pollen counts can soar after rainfall. “Rain often washes pollen out of the environment, but first, it bursts pollen particles, spreading allergens farther.” Warner Carr, MD, an allergist and fellow of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.
“During a rainstorm, the pollen in your environment gets saturated and fractures, releasing small particles into the air at a much higher concentration,” he explained. “When patients inhale them it causes a syndrome called ‘thunderclap asthma. Then, there’s an allergic reaction in the lungs, causing asthma symptoms, or for those without asthma, allergy symptoms in the upper airways. Ninety-five percent of people with asthma also have allergies. Rainstorms can produce serious respiratory symptoms for them, so patients should anticipate this, and be prepared with the proper asthma and/or allergy medication.”
At Family Allergy and Asthma Care, we are a AAAAI certified counting station and provide daily pollen and spore levels for North Texas. To be prepared after a rainfall, click here for the latest counts.
