Weather and Arthritis

When most of us check the weather we are trying to figure out if we need to take an umbrella to work tomorrow, or will this weekend be a nice time to go to the beach. For anyone with arthritis, you can check to see if your symptoms will be worse.

There is a direct link between the weather and arthritis pain.

Anytime there is a change in the barometric pressure, it causes some tendons, muscles, bones and scar tissue to contract. This results in pain in tissues that are affected by arthritis. Barometric pressure is the pressure within the atmosphere of Earth. It generally rises when fair weather is expected and falls when stormy weather is on the horizon.

Pain is also typically worse in the winter when we experience low temperatures. Cold temperatures can increase the thickness of joint fluids, making them stiffer and perhaps more sensitive to pain during movement.