Does The Weather Affect Your Pain?

Today's post from everydayhealth.com (see link below) looks at how weather conditions can affect chronic pain sufferers. There are of course many conditions which can be affected by long periods of heat or cold but neuropathy is certainly one of them and most experienced neuropathy patients will tell you that thanks to their nervous system's misinterpretation of warm and cold, they feel certain temperatures possibly more than most people. Everybody looks forward to a sunny Summer but that can be very painful for people with foot conditions like neuropathy. This article, whilst being somewhat cursory, does offer a few useful tips as to how to minimise the symptoms. It concentrates on Summer warmth but for the other half of the world which is having to deal with winter weather problems, there are other articles to be found here on the blog by using the search button to the right.

Beating the Heat With Chronic Pain
By Wyatt Myers | Medically reviewed by Pat F. Bass III, MD, MPH

When heat and humidity soar, the dog days of chronic pain can hit. Here's how to weather the sweltering summer comfortably.

You know that old wives’ tale about knee pain predicting a summer storm? It turns out, it’s a real phenomenon. “Though there is no universally accepted theory on why bad weather worsens arthritis pain, most doctors agree that barometric changes cause joints to swell and thus, rub against bones,” says Moshe Lewis, MD, a pain management specialist in private practice in Redwood City, Calif. This mean that this summer’s scorching heat and oppressive drought can be even more difficult for people with chronic pain to bear.

Weather could impact chronic pain in individuals in a couple of different ways. “Heat and humidity affect people with chronic pain because patients with these conditions have difficulty regulating their system with extreme changes of temperature and moisture in the air,” says John L. Pappas, MD, the medical director for the Beaumont Centers for Pain Medicine in Royal Oak, Mich. “It is also possible that there are changes in the level of synovial fluid that lines and lubricates the joints. If this occurs, it may somehow increase inflammation and pain.”

Although the science behind the chronic pain-weather connection is limited, for many people, the pain is real. And Lewis says it’s not only people with arthritis who are affected. “High heat and humidity also can exacerbate the levels of ozone in the environment, possibly causing additional distress and pain in those who have asthma, fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, and chronic fatigue syndrome,” he says. “Likewise, there are people who have hypersensitive pain syndromes, such as complex regional pain syndrome, that will report increased pain with temperature and barometric fluctuations.”

Another mitigating factor is the role that medication for pain treatment can play. “Heat and humidity can increase the amount of inflammation in a patient’s system, causing anti-inflammatory medication to be less effective,” Pappas says. “Dosages of these medications may need to be adjusted, and other medications may be needed to treat a patient’s pain.” 

Pain Management in Summer Weather

Regardless of how chronic pain is related to hot weather or humidity, the condition can cause significant problems that need to be addressed. When it comes to pain management or pain treatment and hot weather, these simple strategies can keep you feeling your best:
Stay indoors. Perhaps the easiest way to avoid weather-related pain is to avoid being outdoors when the conditions are inhospitable, says Ioonna Felix, PT, DPT, a physical therapist at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City. “Make sure you do not spend long periods of time outdoors,” she says. “If you do have to be outside, take frequent breaks to cool off indoors, and don’t overexert yourself.”
Adjust the air conditioning. Keeping the air inside the home cool and keeping the humidity low are key for pain treatment. “Invest in an air conditioner or fan, as well as a dehumidifier,” Pappas says.
Eat and drink adequately. Staying hydrated with plenty of water (not sugary substitutes) and eating a healthy diet will also keep you feeling your best and keep chronic pain at bay.
Choose the right clothes. Lewis suggests dressing for the weather to further help with pain management and enhance comfort. “Wear white or light colors, especially natural fabrics like cotton or silk, that are loosely woven and loose-fitting,” he suggests.
Try cooling products. “For a natural approach, remember that mint refreshes the skin and leaves a nice, cooling sensation,” Lewis says. “Try mint soap, lotion, or powder.”

Summer heat can be uncomfortable and physically draining for everyone. If you’re also managing chronic pain, take steps to create a temperate environment at home and at work to avoid worsening your condition.

http://www.everydayhealth.com/pain-management/beating-the-heat-with-chronic-pain.aspx