Weather

[Nanna71]

Does weather play a part in worsening pain for anyone here and if so, what do you do to mitigate the effects?

[allanah]

Technically the resear h says o. Anectodaly YES ! I use little hottie hand warmers and layers x

[Hidden]

With me it's damp. Whether it's hot damp or cold damp doesn't matter. When there's rain on the way, I'm in pain. When the rain begins, the pain eases off.

[amberly87 in reply to Hidden]

poemsgalaore1-

My “rain pains” respond in an identical manner. Typically I feel storms moving in the day prior to them arriving; I feel like my head and joints are going to explode right before it starts raining, but once it starts raining there’s a dramatic decrease.

[bgeorgie]

I definitely noticed worsening of the symptoms throughout the colder months. This may have something to do with the air pressure as some days are better than others but I haven't yet spotted a pattern. Also, there are other factors (diet, exercise and stress) that may contribute to it.

Anyway, I'm using fingerless compression gloves in the office (my boss said they actually looked cool!) and wrap up warm.

In our house, the heating goes on before I get out of bed in the morning, and I have my dressing gown and the clothes for the day on the radiators so they are nice and warm when I'm ready to put them on x

[rab1874]

The damp weather goes for me but not too bad in the cold, always wear my fingerless compression gloves xxx

[wishbone]

No, I don't think it does.

[wishbone in reply to wishbone]

Think I need to eat my words! Following the coldest night of the winter so far, I've woke up this morning and can barely put my left foot on the floor as it's so painful. My feet are problematic at the best of times and if this foot doesn't calm down soon then I think I'm in some trouble!

Seriously though, the cold weather is probably a coincidence.. it's just that I needed to have a not too public moan and this thread is as good as anywhere.

[heyitsmee in reply to wishbone]

Same here - I can barely put my right foot on the floor! And the week was going so well....

[wishbone in reply to heyitsmee]

Hope both our foots ease up soon.

[scotslass333 in reply to wishbone]

Hi again, my feet send sympathy to yours, 100% !

Strangely, (and I've always been strange!) I find the summer heat goes for my feet worse than cold. Another of life's mysteries eh?!

[wishbone in reply to scotslass333]

I had my suspicions the last time we spoke...that you were a bit strange that is.

Thank your feet for me, don't know if that's the reason but my foot is a little better this morning...thankfully!

[14bubbles]

I'm more prone to flares in the colder months. I just try to wrap up warm, wear fingerless gloves almost permanently, and rely heavily on a hot water bottle

[Hezekiah in reply to 14bubbles]

Go hot water bottles (2 is best I reckon)

[Mmrr]

I don't believe the cold affects me too much, but I don't do well in the heat. I do wear fingerless gloves over the winter months as I have raynaulds and the colder weather can spark a attack unless managed well.

[scotslass333 in reply to Mmrr]

Same here! Wow I thought it was just me! x

[medway-lady]

It does me warm weather is great but not available on the nhs ! x

[Nanna71 in reply to medway-lady]

Sorry, what is the nhs?

[AgedCrone]

I think everybody's everyday aches. & pains hurt more in the cold.......no matter what is causing them.

I felt miserable & achey in the cold long before I knew I had RA.

All we can do is switch on the electric blanket, get out the hot pads, woolly socks & hand warmers & look forward to Spring.

The Daffodils are out already......so it can't be far off!

[Jules13]

Yup.... cold weather is pretty awful especially if you have osteoarthritis too. Keep warm, baths with Epsom salts, hot water bottles x

[Nanna71 in reply to Jules13]

Thank you for the response. I'll have to substitute sitting in front of the wood stove for heat - no tub, just a shower (don't think I could get out of a tub once I got in, anyway😧) but, yes, the whole warm thing is so nice when you have pain. This weekend our weather is supposed to go to -31C and stay there for about a week. Not looking forward to it.🏔🛀🏂🙂

[NeonkittyUK]

Microwave heat pads are my best friends in the winter. Try not to sit too long without moving as seized joints are even more painful in the winter cold.

[Birman4]

My consultant said the cold weather is bad for someone with RA and perhaps I should consider moving to a warmer climate, she also asked to come with me.

[Nanna71 in reply to Birman4]

I wonder if she has a personal agenda?😁😎

[tristin]

It is an appallingly hot summer in Australia. Sydney was 40c today. Hope this does sound smug but my RA is the best since diagnosis 12 months ago with this heat. For me the hotter the better for RA. I feel sure it is not coincidence. Coping with the heat is another issue. I feel for all you RA people in cold wet northern climates.

[amberly87]

Nanna71-

Absolutely! Just as poemsgalore1 stated, the storm moving in is what gets me, but once it starts raining the pain instantaneously decreases. From the research I’ve done I understand that it is a DROP in barometric pressure that cause the pain spike. Additionally, an article mentioned that humidity can affect pain levels, just as barometric pressure can (which is extremely difficult for me as I’m in Texas). My pain...rain pains as I call them...incrementally increases (muscular pain, joint pain & a headache), typically the day before storms are moving in. I keep a heat pack with me, pain patches (lidocaine or menthol), compression gloves & I take hot baths as often as I am able to. Other than that I always keep an eye on what the weather forecast is so that I know when storms are predicted and I can go into the day aware and prepared.

[tristin]

As a kid I remember a few older people saying it is going to rain because their joints tell them so. I am now one of them.