Weather and Joint Pain
Does the weather have your bones and joints aching? Similar to rain, it’s actually a thing.
Changes in barometric pressure can cause the tissue, muscles, and tendons in our bodies to expand. While the colder weather doesn’t cause arthritis, the tightness can increase pain, weakness, stiffness, and soreness. As our joints become tighter, the muscles can lose their range of motion and pinched nerves can happen more often. It’s important for our bodies to stay active and maintain a healthy weight.
Ways to Reduce Joint Pain in Cold Weather
- Stretch before going outside to loosen up your joints
- Dress in layers to stay warm
- Get plenty of Vitamin D to maintain musculoskeletal health
- Take warm showers or baths
- Maintain a healthy weight to put less stress on your joints, back, knees, hips, etc.
- Stay active, exercise regularly
Joint pain can be caused by an underlying condition such as fibromyalgia, lack of use, overuse, sprains, or strains. This type of pain can affect our quality of life. In addition to joint pain, cold weather can also cause these 8 things with your body:
- Frostbite is when your skin and tissue can freeze after being exposed to extreme cold for a long amount of time. This can lead to permanent blood vessel and tissue damage.
- Hypothermia takes place when a person’s body loses heat at a rate quicker than it can produce it.
- Windburn occurs when skin loses its natural oils due to the exposure to cold temperature and low humidity in the air.
- A runny nose provides a role in warming, humidifying, and cleaning the air we breathe before it makes its way to the lungs.
- Shivering helps generate heat to keep you warm, acting as another defense mechanism like a runny nose.
- Freezing temperatures can increase the risk of a heart attack.
- Wheezing, coughing and shortness of breath can occur when exposed to cold air.
- Dry skin can occur when dealing with the extreme cold, especially when you’re outside for an extended amount of time.
For those of you that say you hate the cold weather, there are some benefits! Like putting ice on an injury, cold weather can decrease inflammation. If you are feeling that joint pain and would like to schedule an appointment, call 614-788-0375.
