For years, my dad would ask me if it was supposed to rain soon.
He was asking because he'd start to feel increased discomfort in his knees and joints not long before rain or a change to our weather arrived.
Doctors do indeed believe that there can be more joint pain on the human body on cold, rainy days. There are several variables, doctors say, that may cause this sudden discomfort.
The change in barometric pressure ahead of an approaching weather system plays a large role. There are also other factors, such as humidity levels, precipitation, and temperature swings that can all happen with an impending change in our weather.
Since there are several variables, doctors have not been able to pinpoint what it is about the weather that causes this pain other than grouping these variables collectively.
According to WebMD, there are several studies on this very topic, but none have come away with a clear connection. Or rather, there isn't anything clear enough that it's something that you could definitively call the culprit.
There's even been a worldwide study that took millions of people's medical records regarding joint pain and tried to date match them to certain weather phenomena. Unfortunately, it didn't work out.
Despite no clear or proven connection, joint and muscle aches for people with changing weather are very real. There are a few theories that have been thrown out there.
One is that people with arthritis suffer more than others. When the cartilage next to the bone wears away, exposed nerves may pick up on sudden changes in pressure more easily.
Another theory looks at how changing pressure can also cause your muscles and scar tissue to expand and contrast, causing more discomfort than usual.
A drop in temperature may even disrupt your body's fluid motion, making somebody feel a bit different.
And in general, poor weather can prevent us from moving around as much as we normally would, causing a stiffening of our muscles and joints.
There are ways to prevent this increase in bodily discomfort due to changing weather conditions.
Doctors recommend doing your best to keep your body warm during the cooler months while also working on living a healthier and more active lifestyle. If all else fails, doctors can recommend specific medications to fit your pain need.
All in all, a human's body can tell when something around it is changing with regard to the weather. Just don't go asking them how much snow we'll be getting.
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