As spring rolls in, you are wheezing, a little short of breath, and coughing, think twice before you pop an antihistamine and write it off as Hay fever.

These signs are also a potential indicator of seasonal asthma, which can be life threatening.

It is difficult to differentiate the two conditions. They can also happen at the same time and have similar causes and symptoms.

Hay fever is also an important risk factor for developing thunderstorm asthma.

Thunderstorm asthma events are thought to be triggered by an unusual mix of high levels of grass pollen and a certain type of thunderstorm. During these storms tiny pollen grains from grasses can be swept up in the wind and carried long distances. When exposed to this air, the tiny particles of pollen are breathed deep into your lungs, triggering an asthma flare-up or attack. 

Certain types of storms can deliver an allergen deep into the lungs.

This means rest of the year you won’t have asthma, but are at a danger of undergoing asthma during these storms even if you just have hay fever.

Even if you never get asthma symptoms, but do get indications of hay fever, chat to your GP or pharmacist, and be aware of the risks of thunderstorm asthma.

“They were people who really had no history of asthma and [yet] were so bad on that night that they had to present to emergency.”

The dangerous fact is people might not realise that it’s possible to have asthma that occurs only in spring.

It is important to be aware, know your body and be proactive about your health to avoid disaster.