April showers bring May flowers… as well as joint pain. How many of you have heard someone say that their joints flare up when the weather changes? Or maybe you’ve even thought it yourself! Here in Florida, we are about to enter a hot, humid and rainy season and we are going to investigate if weather change can have an effect on joint pain.
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 27 million people have been diagnosed with some form of osteoarthritis or degenerative arthritis. This could mean that, as the weather changes, many people will have increased aches and pains.
A study looking at four major cities (San Diego, Cal., Nashville, Tenn., Worcester Mass., and Boston, Mass.) showed that the majority of 558 participants believed that changes in weather affected their pain. The study showed that, while a patient in Boston was not necessarily more sensitive to weather changes than someone in San Diego, patients in each city did notice an increase in joint pain related to their local weather changes. There does seem to be some effect of weather change on joint pain specific to geographical regions. However, the data did not support a link between cold weather and joint pain. Living in a climate that is more cold or damp does not increase your joint pain more significantly.
So, what does this mean for Florida? A study examining the relationship between hip degeneration and weather conditions found that pain scores worsened by 1 point for every 10 percent increase in humidity. As summer rolls around and humidity begins to rise, you might start to notice an increase in joint pain. Those mid-day workouts might become more challenging and you may find yourself aching just a little bit more.
Now that you know what summer can bring, do your part to be ready! Remember, over 20 million people have osteoarthritis, and you aren’t alone. Be proactive by increasing your water, protecting your joints with nutrition and stop by our office to learn more and get relief for any stiffness or aches.
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