Tag: weather related knee pain

Categories
Knee Osteoarthritis

Enjoying the Fall, Pain Free

Though we can not control fluctuating temperatures during the changing of the seasons, we can take action to lessen the impact it can have on our bodies.

Though we can not control fluctuating temperatures during the changing of the seasons, we can take action to lessen the impact it can have on our bodies.

In our last article, we took a look at 5 simple ways to decrease weather-related knee pain, which were:

  • Turn up the heat and keep those joints warm by keeping your home warm.
  • Wear warm clothing to keep your body warm, especially when going outdoors, be sure to layer up.
  • Take warm showers and baths to help boost circulation and soothe achy joints.
  • Exercise even though it’s tempting to cuddle up under a warm blanket all day, by moving your joints, will help decrease joint pain, and make you feel better all around. If it’s too cold out, try walking on the treadmill, or swimming in an indoor pool.
  • Stretch those joints with some yoga, and light stretching. Even stretching for just 10 minutes is enough to make a positive impact.

All of these recommendations are effective and 100% doable, but it gets even better than that…because…there’s more!

Here are five more easy solutions to decreasing weather-related joint pain, so that you can enjoy the fall and all the joy and activities that can come with it.

1. Hydrate

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Our muscles and bones are composed of a high percentage of water, and keeping them hydrated is crucial to the health and function of our bodies. If the weather is cold, try adding a few cups of tea to your daily water intake. Not only will this aid in hydration but it can also help warm up the body, which on a chilly day is definitely a win-win.


2. Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs)

Depending on the severity and frequency of pain, you may wish to speak with your doctor about taking anti-inflammatory NSAIDs, like ibuprofen, on days when the fluctuating temperature is aggravating your joints. NSAIDs can be very helpful at reducing pain and inflammation in the short term, however, they can interact with many other medications, so it’s important to speak with your doctor or pharmacist first.


3. Get Enough Sleep

Being sure that you are getting enough sleep is important for overall health, regardless of the changing weather. However, this may mean that you’ll need to make some adjustments to your sleep routine due to the days getting shorter, and thereby getting darker, earlier.


4. Eat Healthy Nutritious Food

This one may be obvious in its benefits for overall health including knee health- however, its benefits can be particularly helpful for those of us that are sensitive to weather fluctuations. Eating a diet that is high in anti-inflammatory foods, like those found in the Mediterranean Diet, can help keep inflammation low and reduce joint pain, regardless of the weather.


5. Stay Positive

Staying positive doesn’t mean that you should ignore your knee pain, but it does mean that you can change your attitude about it.

When the body hurts, it’s trying to communicate with us. This is valuable information that we can be grateful for. This information could mean we need an extra layer or two, or maybe we need to rest more, eat better, call a friend, take a walk, watch a movie, and just plain take good care of ourselves. And when it comes to weather-related knee pain, stay positive by reminding yourself that this too shall pass.

The Bottom Line: No matter how your body responds to the ever-changing weather, there is always something you can do to help ease any pain and discomfort. That being said, if your joint pain is persistent and interfering with your life, it should definitely be addressed by speaking with your doctor, and seeing if any further treatment may be necessary

Fortunately, there are many excellent treatment options to reduce joint part, and in particular knee pain caused by osteoarthritis. One of the best treatment options is a procedure that we specialize in here at MidAtlantic Vascular and Interventional called Genicular Artery Embolization. To learn more about this procedure give us a call today.

In the meantime, as the weather changes from summer to fall, get out the sweaters, and the blankets, and make your favorite cup of tea. Then get ready to cuddle up with a good book, a movie, or a long chat with a friend, while you enjoy the relief that comes from keeping those knee joints warm and cozy.

Categories
Knee Osteoarthritis

Reducing Weather Related Joint Pain

Preceding every change in temperature comes a change in barometric pressure which can increase knee pain and stiffness.

“In the Spring, I have counted 136 different kinds of weather inside of 24 hours.”

– Mark Twain

Preceding every change in temperature comes a change in barometric pressure which can increase knee pain and stiffness.

So why is this?

The general consensus among experts is that the increase in joint pain that can precede a weather change is due to changes in barometric pressure. When it is about to rain, the barometric pressure decreases, and this decrease in air pressure can cause the tissue surrounding the joints to expand. As a result of the expanding tissue, muscles, and tendons, more pressure is put on the joints which can increase pain.

Unfortunately, there is nothing we can do to control the ever-changing weather, however, there are plenty of things we can do to lessen the impact that these changes can have on our bodies, and more specifically our knees.

Here are 10 things you can do to keep knee pain at bay during barometric pressure and temperature changes.

1. Keep your home warm.

This one may be a bit obvious, but it’s worth mentioning nonetheless.

Making sure to keep your heater running, and even turning it up a bit first thing in the morning, can help keep weather-induced swelling at bay. And, along with heating your home, some find using an electric blanket or a heating pad can be helpful to keep the body and joints warm.


2. Wear warm clothes

Another action that can help decrease joint paint is to wear warm clothes- especially if you plan to venture outdoors. This includes putting on a hat and gloves and making an effort to layer up. The warmer you keep your body, the less it will be impacted by the changing temperature and air pressure.

3. Take warm showers and baths

Taking a warm shower or bath can help boost circulation, and soothe achy joints as your body absorbs the heat. It can also calm the nerves and help relieve stress which can positively affect overall health and wellbeing.

4. Exercise

Though it’s tempting to just curl up under a warm blanket in a warm house, no matter what the weather, exercise is one of the best things to do to keep joint pain at bay.

Though it may feel uncomfortable to be active during cold and rainy low air pressure days, moving the body and the joints can reduce joint pain and stiffness.

Simply walking on a treadmill, swimming in a heated pool, and stretching in a hot tub can all be helpful.

5. Stretch

Light stretching can go a long way when it comes to relieving joint pain, even on rainy days. Even just 10 minutes of stretching can make a difference.

Try doing any of the aforementioned suggestions above, and you may find that your weather-related joint pain is greatly decreased- and your mood is increased as well.

Just because we can’t control the ever-changing weather, doesn’t mean we have to just deal with the additional joint pain and discomfort that can come with it.

These five things can definitely make a difference, and that’s not all!

In our next article, we will take a look at five more easy actions that can be done to decrease joint pain aggravated by fluctuations in barometric pressure and temperature. With a little awareness and a pinch of effort, these simple tasks can have you feeling better, no matter what the weather brings.

 

Categories
Knee Osteoarthritis

Pain Before the Storm

When it comes to the effect that an upcoming rainstorm can have on our joints, the research backing this occurrence is mixed.

When it comes to people experiencing an increase in knee pain before a rainstorm, the research backing this occurrence is mixed.

Maybe you’ve heard a relative or friend predict a rainstorm based on an ache in their joints, or maybe you’ve experienced it. Is it possible?

A recent study published in the British Medical Journal found no connection between rainy weather and increased joint pain. The researchers came to this conclusion by looking at more than 11 million medical visits that occurred on rainy days versus dry days and found that there was not only an increase during rainy days but there was in fact an increase on dry days. That being said, this could be due to people being more likely to cancel or postpone a medical visit during bad weather.

Another study published in Arthritis Care & Research, took a look at the weather at the time that the study participants first began to experience arthritis symptoms, and compared it to the weather a week or a month before the symptoms first appeared.

What they found was that there was no link between joint pain, rain, or temperature. However, further research has shown that the impact of the outside environment on joint pain is real, it just isn’t necessarily caused by the type of weather or the temperature. It’s caused by a change in something known as barometric pressure.

A study published in The American Journal of Medicine followed 200 patients for three months and found that their knee pain did in fact increase when the temperature dropped due to the drop in the air pressure.

Furthermore, another study that looked at 712 people with osteoarthritis, found that 469 people (69%) reported that their joint pain is weather sensitive. However, again, it wasn’t the type of weather or the temperature that caused this, but the change in barometric pressure.

So what is barometric pressure?

Barometric pressure is the measurement of air pressure in the atmosphere. More specifically it is the measure of the weight exerted by air molecules.

Barometric pressure is measured and analyzed by meteorologists so that they can track weather changes and predict storms. When the barometric pressure changes, the weather changes as well.

So how does a change in barometric pressure cause an increase in knee pain?

Though the exact reason for this increase in knee pain is unknown, most experts agree that a decrease in air pressure pushes less against the body, thus allowing the tissue to swell and expand. This expansion of tissue can thereby put more pressure on the joints, and cause an increase in pain, as well as tightness, stiffness, and overall discomfort.

Some of the other possible reasons for the increase in pain based on weather and barometric pressure changes are:

  1. The cartilage is worn down in the joints of those with knee osteoarthritis which exposes nerve endings. These nerve endings are sensitive to pressure changes and result in pain.
  2. Changes in barometric pressure can cause expansion and contraction of the ligaments, tendons, and cartilage within the joints. Which as a result, causes an increase in knee pain.
  3. The viscous fluid in the joints, which reduces friction between the bones actually becomes thicker in cold weather, which increases joint stiffness and pain.
  4. Cold and wet weather often causes people to be less active. Therefore without proper exercise, inactivity worsens joint pain and stiffness.

Fortunately, the impact that the changes in weather and barometric pressure have on knee pain is temporary. When these changes occur, our bodies will eventually either adjust to the change or return to normal when the air pressure increases.

Even though the research regarding a connection between weather changes and knee pain is not entirely clear in either direction, most doctors and people with knee osteoarthritis will agree that in their personal experience, a connection indeed exists.

Unfortunately, there is nothing we can do to prevent the weather and barometric pressure from fluctuating, however, there are things we can do to help lessen the impact that these changes have on our joints.

In our next article, we will take a look at a few simple things that can be done to decrease pain during times of air pressure fluctuation and temperature changes.