Anybody who lives in Minnesota can tell you that the weather changes rather frequently. One week we’re getting snow, the next week it’s 55 degrees outside. We’re all looking forward to spring and summer, but with a rise in temperatures comes an increase in disease and arthritis symptoms. Today, we look at how temperature changes affect your body.
A couple of recent studies examined how weather impacts arthritis symptoms, and this is what they found:
- A study by Guedj and Weinberger found that weather fluctuations correlated with an increase in arthritis symptoms.
- A historical cohort study of patients with rheumatoid arthritis uncovered that symptoms increased in the spring and decreased in the fall.
- Another review that examined studies from Europe, America, Argentina and Israel found that meteorologic variables were associated with changes in arthritis symptoms.
See, as the the weather gets cold, your body doesn’t move as easily. Your joints become stiff because the fluids in your joints don’t flow as smoothly.
In fact, your body works a lot like a car. When it’s cold outside, it takes your car some extra time to warm up. Oil doesn’t flow as smoothly, your brakes may be a little stiff, and if you try to speed off without letting your car warm up you could blow your engine.
Your body is the same way. You need to let it adjust to the cold temperatures, and if you try to go for a run without easing into it, you may pull a muscle. Additionally, the weather can impact your nerves. Some pain fibers in your body respond specifically to the cold and send signals to your brain when the sense the temperature drop.
Simply put, give your body some time to warm up when the temperature drops, and always dress for the weather.
Related source: Medscape
