Do your fibromyalgia and chronic illness pain symptoms become worse with weather pressure changes? Do you have weather pressure pain? I’ve never heard a single Spoonie say no to that question. Yet, the debates goes on.
Flares and symptom increases can happen for any number of reasons. You may wish to check out this Top 9 Reasons for a Fibro Flare article here. Do any of them resonate with you?
One common symptom flare trigger is the weather.
To be specific,
weather pressure.
Why pressure? When weather fronts shift and flow, a change in the barometric pressure comes first. That change, can be measured by scientific instruments – and by people, too.
We’ve all seen old movies where some granny says, “There’s rain a comin’ cuz I can feel it in my knees. I’ve got the rheumatiz.”
Increased pressure
can translate into pain.
You may feel it in your joints, muscles, sinuses, or even your teeth.
Here’s what the Weather Channel has to say about Why Your Joints Hurt When Weather Changes.
Do you find this to be true?
I do. With weather changes, I have increased pain or discomfort — especially in areas of former injury. I don’t have a tendency toward frequent headaches (thank goodness!), but sometimes I can feel a cloud-like pain or pressure in my head when a heatwave arrives, or the winds kick up. Fortunately, I don’t live in an area with freezing cold weather as I think that would really kick up my symptoms to another level.
We’re each unique. Some feel better in warmer weather, and some prefer cooler or even cold climates.
It’s funny to get valid health information from The Weather Channel. I find it interesting to read studies that “prove” fibromyalgia symptoms aren’t related to the weather. You can check out this one here from WebMD.
Study Shows Weather Does Not Trigger Fibromyalgia Symptoms.
Regardless of the source, what do YOU experience? Where do you feel weather pressure changes? What parts of your body are affected most?
If you feel increased symptoms with weather changes, you’re not alone. That’s why my fibromyalgia article, Weather or Not , has rated high in popularity over time.
What do you say? Leave a comment below and let me know your experiences.
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I can tell that there is either rain or cold on the way up to 5 days before the weather bureau notifies us.
My pain intensifies and I used to be surprised but have been proved right hundreds of times & there is nothing you can do about it beforehand i.e. taking extra pain killers or anti-inflammatories. It is inevitable, Mother Nature has decided that I will suffer before the weather changes.
Not fair!!!!!!!!! 🙁
Thanks for your comment, Ora-Ann. I hope it helps to know that others here feel as you do. We definitely feel what’s coming ahead!
My fatigue gets worse! MIght you know why? Pain may worsen as well, but it’s the fatigue that I really notice. I’ll be having several good days in a row but when the weather changes (dampness- humidity, rain) so do I. The fatigue returns or worsens greatly depending on how I felt when I the day started. The worst fatigue happens when I overexert myself physically, but it’s funny– I’ve been comlaining all summer about how I feel great on clear days and rotten on humind ones. It’s interesting how timely finding this blog today is for me. I feel very validated, and when you’ve been sick and tired for so long, it’s wonderful to find new info that tells you that you are not just crazy and lazy. I’m prone to headaches as well. I’ve said for years my head is a most accurate barometer! Thanks for the validation.
Lisa – you’re so very welcome. I love your comments and know that so many others in this community feel the very same way. From my experience, increased fatigue happens for several reasons. I think of fatigue in the body as as I do a slow computer. If your computer is running slow, and you try to open more windows and try to use more programs, it gets even slower. In the same way, the body knows when it’s under attack (such as with weather changes and/or in a flare) and it tries to “fix” the various problems all at once. That’s overwhelming. Pushing through can make the fatigue worse, so we may need to take a step back and give ourselves a break. If the weather is bad, we may need to listen to what our body needs and get the extra rest, the extra nutrition, and the extra support we need. And, of course, any focus on trying to figure out WHY we’re so fatigued creates more fatigue. In a nutshell, being sick is exhausting! Give yourself a pat on the back for doing your best and know that you’re not alone. There are over 350 posts here on this site to learn more and feel free to email me to let me know how you’re doing!