Can Your Joints Really Predict the Weather?
By Michelle Bland, DNP, MSN, RN, NEA-BC
Director of Surgery, HCA Houston Healthcare Mainland
This article is part of “Healthy Living,” a bi-weekly column developed as part of a partnership between The Texas City Post and HCA Houston Healthcare Mainland, which seeks to shed light on health topics of interest to the community.
Maybe you’re known as the family weatherperson because your stiff, achy joints tell you when a storm will be blowing in. But it’s not the drop in temperature that causes your joints to flare up – it’s the change in pressure. How does it work? Read on for answers.
Barometric pressure primer
Barometric pressure, also known as air pressure and atmospheric pressure, changes when warm air mixes with cool air. This can result in storms, as well as swollen, painful joints.
There are barometric receptors in the joints, and when the ambient pressure in the atmosphere changes, the receptors sense the change. Fluid shifts in the joint and the pressure in the joint changes. That allows for swelling of the tissue inside the joint.
What hurts, and how
The structure, called a “joint,” is where two or more bones come together. It’s a complex structure that involves bone, ligaments, cartilage, synovial tissue and synovial fluid. When pressure changes, the tissue swells and the fluid shifts, and that’s what causes the pain.
Any joint can be affected, but weight-bearing joints like the knees, hips and ankles seem to be more likely to be affected. People describe weather-related joint pain as a little worse than normal – an aggravation of symptoms. People also notice stiffness in the muscles around the joint.
Who feels the storm?
Men and women are equally likely to feel pain and swelling in their joints when there’s a storm coming. People with arthritis and lupus are often prone to weather-related joint pain. The weather doesn’t cause it, but patients with these conditions often have those symptoms.
There’s a stereotype of an old man or woman in a rocking chair, complaining about their joints and predicting a storm, but that’s because older people are more likely to have arthritis. Younger patients’ joints are usually not as arthritic, so they don’t sense it as much. But that doesn’t mean younger people can’t feel a change of the weather in their joints.
What you can do
It’s not likely you can control the weather, but you can be prepared. If you know cold weather is coming, keep extra layers handy to keep your joints warm. When there’s precipitation in the forecast, take ibuprofen or another non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) to combat the pain and swelling in your joints.
Exercise can help keep your joints lubricated and the muscles around them strong and supportive. Aim for a mix of strength training and cardio. Stay limber and do some stretching.
Visit hcahoustonhealthcare.com to learn more or to find a doctor.
