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July Newsletter: How the Heat Affects Your Joints

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Old man struggles with knee pain.

How the Heat Affects Your Joints

Wondering why your joints hurt when it's warm outside? Cold or rainy weather aren't the only culprits responsible for joint pain. In fact, balmy temperatures can affect your joints just as much as the cold.

Why Increasing Temperatures Can Lead to Joint Pain

Synovial fluid surrounds your joints, helping the bones glide easily when you move. The fluid becomes thicker or thinner due to changing temperatures and humidity levels. These changes affect the fluid's ability to cushion your joints and can worsen your joint pain symptoms. Joint pain and stiffness may be caused by:

  • Changing Barometric (Air) Pressure. Barometric pressure drops as humidity increases. Muscle tissue, tendons, and ligaments expand as barometric pressure decreases, which may trigger pain and stiffness. Barometric pressure changes may also irritate nerves in and around the joints, intensifying pain. Does your pain start just before a storm or cold front? Sudden drops in barometric pressure may happen before summer storms, causing discomfort for people with joint problems.
  • Dehydration. Increased sweating on hot, humid days makes it easy to become dehydrated if you don't drink enough water and other fluids. Fluid levels throughout your entire body, including the synovial fluid, drop due to dehydration. Dropping synovial fluid levels may cause pain, stiffness, and inflammation in your joints.

According to a systematic review and meta-analysis published in the Annals of Medicine in 2023, barometric pressure and relative humidity play a role in osteoarthritis pain intensity, while temperature doesn't seem to be a factor in pain.

Although temperature may not affect osteoarthritis pain, the same may not be true for gout. In a study published in The American Journal of Epidemiology in 2014, researchers reported that research participants were 40% more likely to experience a gout attack when the temperature was high.

Staying Comfortable in the Heat

If hot, humid weather aggravates your joint symptoms, these tips may help:

  • Limit Outdoor Time. Stay inside during the afternoon hours when heat and humidity may be at their peak. If you have air-conditioning, don't hesitate to turn it on, at least during the hottest part of the day or on days with high humidity. Plan excursions for the early morning or evening hours when it's not as hot.
  • Keep Moving. Movement can help ease pain and stiffness. Swimming offers the perfect way to beat the heat in the summer and keep your joints moving. Whether you prefer swimming, yoga, or another type of exercise, regular exercise strengthens the muscles that support the joints. Strong muscles improve the stability of your joints and decrease pain.
  • Increase Your Fluid Intake. Drinking water throughout the day will help you avoid pain, stiffness, and inflammation due to dehydration. Don't drink caffeinated or alcoholic beverages, as these drinks can cause or worsen dehydration.
  • See Your Chiropractor. Your chiropractor offers a variety of therapies that can help you manage your joint pain when it's hot and humid outside. Joint manipulation, massage, and other therapies realign and reduce stress on joints, improve nerve function, boost blood circulation, decrease inflammation, ease pain and stiffness in muscles and joints, relieve muscle spasms, and improve joint flexibility and range of motion.

Are you struggling with joint pain due to the heat? Whether you have osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, lupus, or another joint condition, we can ease your pain and help you move more comfortably. Contact our office to schedule your appointment with the chiropractor.

Sources:

American Journal of Epidemiology: Relation of Temperature and Humidity to the Risk of Recurrent Gout Attacks, 8/15/2014

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24993733/

NCBI: Annals of Medicine: Associations Between Weather Conditions and Osteoarthritis Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis, April 20, 2023

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10120534/

Arthritis Foundation: Best Climate for Arthritis Patients: Humidity's Impact on Your Joints

https://www.arthritis.org/health-wellness/healthy-living/managing-pain/understanding-pain/best-climate-for-arthritis

CBS News: Excessive Heat Can Increase Pain, Inflammation for People with Various Health Conditions, Including Arthritis, Heart Problems, 8/4/2022

https://www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia/news/excessive-heat-can-increase-pain-inflammation-for-people-with-various-health-conditions-including-arthritis-heart-problems/

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