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PHOENIX (July 10, 2018) – The monsoon season brings more than critical rainfall and spectacular lightening shows in the sky, it also carries the potential for triggering or increasing health problems, including higher risk of Valley Fever, more difficulty in breathing for respiratory patients and greater chances of dehydration, especially if there are power outages.
“The storms we enjoy watching also bring wind, pollen and humidity,’’ says Thomas Ardiles, MD, a critical care and pulmonary specialist at Banner – University Medical Center – Phoenix.
In a ready-to-edit video, Ardiles breaks down the health hazards that can come from the monsoon’s dust storms and rainfall:
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How does the large dust storm increase our chance of Valley Fever? Valley residents always are at risk for Valley Fever but the risk increases with haboobs and large dust storms spreading soil contaminated with the Valley Fever fungus, Ardiles says.
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How does rain, hot weather and high humidity affect patients with breathing problems? Patients with asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease may find it especially hard to breathe with the humidity, high temperatures, dust and pollen in the air or a combination of all of those factors, Ardiles says.
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If the power goes out, what should patients do? Even with the air conditioning running, many people simply forget to drink water. Ardiles sees many patients who come to the hospital who are dehydrated. If the power goes out and air-conditioning is affected, the risk of dehydration can rise dramatically, he says.
About Banner Health
Headquartered in Arizona, Banner Health is one of the largest nonprofit health care systems in the country. The system owns and operates 28 acute-care hospitals, Banner Health Network, Banner – University Medicine, academic and employed physician groups, long-term care centers, outpatient surgery centers and an array of other services; including Banner Urgent Care, family clinics, home care and hospice services, pharmacies and a nursing registry. Banner Health is in six states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Nebraska, Nevada and Wyoming. For more information, visit www.BannerHealth.com.