Aching bones when the weather changes is also called weather dependence. According to WHO, this symptom affects mainly people over 50 years of age - about half of all women and a third of men. But such conditions can also occur at a younger age.
Weather dependence is manifested by aching bones, various pain sensations, weakness and drowsiness in anticipation of a change in weather.
As a rule, weather dependence is only a symptom indicating the development of a more serious disease. And the more chronic diseases there are, the more subtly a person reacts to fluctuations in atmospheric pressure, humidity and air temperature.
Why do my joints hurt when the weather changes?
General weakness and pain in the joints when the weather changes can manifest themselves as a consequence of various diseases. The most common reasons:
- Osteochondrosis
- Arthritis
- Arthrosis
- Radiculitis
- Gout
- Intervertebral hernia
- Disc protrusion
Also, weather dependence can manifest itself against the background of various diseases of the cardiovascular system and spine.
Leg pain and general weakness are a sign of pathology in the lower extremities. This may be the beginning of varicose veins or the formation of atherosclerotic plaques, which tend to bother heavy smokers.
The causes of weakness and pain in the limbs when the weather changes can be more global. Patients with these symptoms are often diagnosed with anemia, type 2 diabetes, kidney failure, and other diseases.
Of course, pain can be eliminated with the help of well-chosen medications. But, as a rule, they will have a short-term effect and the pain will return again and again. In addition, aching bones when the weather changes is an insidious symptom, indicating the need to treat the original source of the disease.
Autumn, rains... joint pain. How to avoid them
So summer is over, there is a gloomy autumn sky ahead, heavy rains, cold puddles and... nagging pain in the joints. Yes, such that you can’t immediately fall asleep at night; finding a comfortable position is extremely difficult. And here it’s not far from melancholy and apathy.
Aching pain in the joints is familiar to many, is it worth tolerating it and treating it with folk remedies or is it necessary to see a doctor? Our expert, orthopedic surgeon, rheumatologist Igor Kitaev, tells the story.
– Is it worth enduring regular joint pain?
- Of course not. If, despite systematic treatment of the joints, seasonal pain occurs in them, then it is necessary to seek help from official medicine and undergo the necessary examination. Only by finding out the reasons for the reaction of joints to weather conditions can pain be effectively eliminated. First, you need to make an appointment with an orthopedic doctor or arthrologist, who will prescribe an examination - blood tests, x-rays, or better yet, MRI of the joints, which will help clarify the diagnosis and evaluate changes in the cartilage of the joints.
– Elderly people often suffer from joint pain, they say that at that age your legs should hurt. Is it correct?
– It is no secret that many people with joint pain endure these pains and adapt to them until critical and intolerable conditions occur. It is extremely wrong to do this, because joint pain is a sign of the onset of a progressive disease; at first, the pain, starting as small and rare, will eventually become strong and constant, chronic, which will be much more difficult to cope with. In addition, an incorrect attitude towards joint pain can provoke heart attacks, hypertension, increased blood glucose levels and other complications or exacerbations of existing obvious or hidden problems in older people. Repeated inflammatory processes in the joints lead to an increasing deficiency of cartilage tissue and deformation of the limbs. To prevent this from happening, you need to consult a specialist as early as possible, get diagnosed and start treatment.
– Igor, is it possible to use advertised remedies for joint pain without visiting a doctor?
– If you do not have the opportunity to see a doctor in the near future due to exacerbation, the appearance of joint pain, of course, you can use some common method, the existence of which is regularly reminded in various types of advertising. But at the same time, it is necessary to take into account that any treatment has contraindications, the presence of which you may not suspect: for example, the use of ointment can cause local allergies or even dermatitis, taking pills can provoke the formation of erosions and ulcers in the stomach, duodenum, home physiotherapy - aggravate hypertension or cardiac pathology.
– Are folk remedies effective for joint pain? If the pain subsides with folk remedies, is it possible to continue using them?
– The use of folk remedies in the treatment of joint pain seems, at first glance, to be the safest, and sometimes the most realistic way, since it does not require a trip to the doctor or pharmacy and there are often examples of good results among friends, relatives, and neighbors. Indeed, there are recipes that have a positive effect. But it is important to understand that treatment with folk remedies can only provide a temporary anti-inflammatory effect through its effect on superficial tissues and skin receptors if it “hits the target.” But there are no traditional methods of treatment that deeply affect the structurally altered tissues of the joints. And also, obviously aggressive substances (turpentine, spit, acids, alkalis, etc.) should not be used in such prescription preparations, so as not to get skin burns during rubbing or irritation of the stomach and internal organs when using infusions internally. Even if an improvement in well-being is achieved - a reduction or cessation of pain, it is impossible to remain without diagnosing the cause of the pain, since the next episode of increased pain may be more severe and complicated by consequences.
– What effective methods of treatment and pain relief are available?
– A disease is easier to prevent than to treat. Therefore, if there is a predisposition to seasonal exacerbation of joint pain, preventive measures are an important factor: do not overcool in wet weather, do not get your feet wet, wear clothes made from natural fabrics. If the pain does occur, then in any case you will have to seek medical help, and here it is important to be aware of the effective available treatments for joint pain. Most patients are aware of the use of pain medications, hormones, and surgery as a last resort. But there are also still methods that help preserve joints and make them more mobile, but are not included in the range of free medical services and therefore are not very popularized by doctors in municipal institutions.
– For example?
– These include moisturizing and improving its lubrication by injecting hyaluronic acid into the joint; the use of shock wave therapy, which, when performed by a competent doctor using a good device, can provide significant improvement after the first procedure. Another effective treatment method is nuclear magnetic resonance therapy (MBST), which has become one of the most popular in Europe and is called a breakthrough in global orthopedics. To achieve results, you only need to undergo about seven sessions to activate the process of restoration of articular tissues - cartilage, ligaments, tendons and bone tissue. Preventive use of 3-5 therapy sessions will allow you to survive the rainy season painlessly and comfortably.
What to do if your bones ache when the weather changes
Aching bones and pain with different localization during weather changes should under no circumstances be ignored and just try to endure. As a rule, this is a symptom of pathological changes in tissues, joints and organs. And, if the disease is not detected at an early stage, when it has not yet become chronic, then problems with treatment may arise in the future, or even the impossibility of restoring health.
If you find yourself weather dependent, make an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible.
You can start the examination with a visit to a therapist, who will prescribe the necessary tests and consultations with other specialists, in particular:
- Rheumatologist
- Cardiologist
- Vascular surgeon
- Traumatologist
arthrosis joint diseases weather dependence arthritis sciatica
Is it worth moving?
The condition of the joints may depend on the place of residence. Based on the established facts, one could conclude that people suffering from arthritis should change their place of residence to an area characterized by the most stable weather conditions .
However, there can be no clear answer to such questions. Recent scientific studies have shown that residents of warm San Diego report significantly more complaints about the appearance of pain during weather changes than from people living in cities with high humidity, such as Nashville or Boston.
Dr. Bolash, commenting on this situation, states : “Chronic pain can occur regardless of the area of residence. Humidity and pressure change anywhere on the planet and it’s impossible to escape from them.”
Diagnostic methods
The doctor will definitely give you a referral for a general blood test.
Before the doctor prescribes a therapeutic regimen, he must conduct an examination and write out directions for a diagnostic examination. To make a correct diagnosis, the doctor will need the results of a general blood test, radiography, and ultrasound. If diagnosis is difficult, it is recommended to perform arthroscopy, which will help identify the pathology and determine the cause of the painful reaction of the joints to changing weather.
What not to do
Do not apply heat compresses under any circumstances, do not use gels, ointments, warming or pepper patches. All this will lead to increased swelling and, accordingly, increased pain. In the worst case, you can also get a skin burn.
On a day when the weather changes, reduce your exercise to a minimum. If stress cannot be avoided, use a knee brace, but under no circumstances use bandages. Uneven wrapping of the bandage can cause thrombosis.
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What to do?
Traditional methods
When a bone joint reacts painfully to fluctuations in atmospheric pressure or precipitation, doctors recommend taking painkillers. The following non-steroidal PS (anti-inflammatory drugs) will cope well with this symptom:
- "Movalis";
- "Ibuprofen";
- "Diclofenac".
The listed medications, in addition to the ability to stop the inflammatory process, have the ability to relieve pain and normalize body temperature. However, they should be used no longer than 5 days, as they can have an aggressive effect on the mucous membrane of the digestive tract. Analgesic ointments with a warming effect show excellent results for joint pain:
Apizartron ointment will help cope with pain.
- "Apizartron"
- "Gevkamen";
- "Virapin."
When the joints are twisted before the rain, doctors advise using chondroprotectors. But you shouldn’t expect a quick result from them, so it’s not advisable to use them to eliminate acute pain. The positive effect of these medications appears no earlier than six months after the start of the therapeutic course.
How does the weather affect our well-being and what to do about it?
People have noticed for a long time that weather has an impact on health. Many of us have definitely heard the phrase “my bones are aching - the weather is changing.” For a long time it was believed that weather dependence is a subjective symptom. And only relatively recently, after a series of studies with patients, they came to the conclusion that the weather affects the well-being of a number of people. But not everyone, but those who suffer from serious pathologies.
Who reacts first to changing weather?
Scientists from the University of Manchester in the UK shared the results of a study in which 13,000 people took part. Among them were patients predominantly with arthritis. Over the course of 6 months, they described how they felt when windy, damp weather set in. Feelings were shared in a special phone program. The severity of pain was described in points. The application on the smartphone also recorded air temperature and other weather indicators in the region where the experiment participants lived. As a result, it was possible to trace a direct connection between the exacerbation of pain and damp weather with low atmospheric pressure. That is, in good, neutral weather, the scientists’ wards did not notice an exacerbation of the pain syndrome. According to participants, an accurate weather forecast will help them better plan their activities on certain days.
People who have joint diseases - arthritis, arthrosis - can speak knowledgeably about the impact of weather on their well-being. This is explained by the fact that when atmospheric pressure decreases (shortly and during cyclones, snow storms), the intra-articular fluid literally bursts the joint - stretching and noticeable discomfort occurs. This is not fatal, but the pain will make itself felt - this, of course, affects the quality of life.
Also at risk are people with aortic aneurysms - dilatation of the vessel for them can result in a burst vessel - this cannot be allowed, it is necessary to monitor blood pressure, take medications to lower it and constantly monitor the pressure.
Who should be afraid of cold and heat?
It has long been known that cold and frost increase the risk of heart attacks when the blood supply to the heart muscle is disrupted. When the temperature drops, the blood vessels naturally narrow - they spasm. It is especially dangerous to stay at sub-zero temperatures for a long time for people with atherosclerosis, that is, for those whose blood vessels are already narrowed due to cholesterol deposits.
Patients with bronchial asthma are afraid of cold weather - when cold air enters, swelling of the bronchial mucosa occurs and an attack of suffocation may occur. The situation is aggravated when nasal breathing is difficult (due to a runny nose, for example), that is, a person breathes through the mouth, the air does not have time to heat up. Bronchial obstruction is dangerous!
Heat poses its own dangers for people with a number of diseases. In particular, those with cerebral atherosclerosis are at risk. At high temperatures (when the thermometer rises above +30), the regulation of blood supply to the brain is disrupted. This results in characteristic lethargy, fatigue and, most importantly, an increased risk of stroke. Also, overweight people sweat more in hot weather, which means they lose fluid. Dehydration is another point that increases the risk of heart attack in people at risk.
Hypertensive patients feel bad when the weather changes - people complain of dizziness and weakness.
Read about how to reduce risks and expert advice on Passion.ru
