Does Weather Affect Arthritis Pain?

Arthritis, simply put, is the inflammation of the joints. It can either affect just one joint or multiple joints. It is an autoimmune disorder, in which your body’s immune system attacks the tissues of the body. There are more than 100 different types of arthritis, amongst which the two most common ones are osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Joint pain, stiffness, and swelling are some common symptoms of arthritis. Individuals dealing with it, experience these symptoms getting worse in the morning. Feeling tired, loss of appetite due to inflammation and the immune system’s activity. The amount of red blood cell count also decreases.

Arthritis and Weather: What is the connection?

You might have heard from your grandmother that rains or storms are coming when they feel pain in their knees. A lot of doctors associate high pain in the joints due to the change in weather. A lot of people experience high inflammation on cold and rainy days but various studies do not support the fact.

Barometric pressure also known as the pressure of the air can worsen the inflammation in the joints but other changes in the weather like humidity, precipitation, and temperature plays a vital role. It becomes difficult for scientists to highlight what elements of the weather leads to more inflammation in the joints.

Many people feel additional pain during the rainy weather or winters. The reason behind this is a drop in weather can easily expand the inflamed tissue which further leads to increased pain. As per the health experts, a change in weather cannot cause arthritis or make it worse, it just increases the inflammation and makes the joints hurt more.

You can feel more pain when the weather restricts you from moving. Not moving as much as you do on a regular basis can make your joints stiff and painful. When the weather is cold or rainy, people often stay indoors and do not involve themselves in any activity.

Here’s how to ease weather related arthritis pain!

• Make sure to keep your joints warm during cold or rainy weather. You can take warm showers, apply pressure on your joints with a hot water bag, keep yourself in layers or use blankets at night to avoid any further inflammation.
• Do add physical workouts to your routine and maintain a healthy weight. You can do indoor yoga and aerobics to keep your muscles moving. You can also incorporate stretches in your routine for effective results. Simple stretches every day will increase flexibility, support muscles and keep you away from any unnecessary pain.
• Do add omega 3 fatty acids rich foods in your diet to grease your joints and to avoid any stiffness and pain. Include fatty fishes, nuts like walnuts, almonds and seeds in your diet.
• Don’t strain your joints too much and keep moving at a regular pace to avoid any injuries and pain.

Footnote

A lot of people experience high pain during the cold weather and if you are suffering from arthritis, taking care of your joints during rainy or cold weather is extremely important. Make sure to keep yourself active and consume a healthy and balanced meal in order to avoid distress during the change in weather.