What's the Weather Got to do With Arthritis?
16/12/10 09:26
Medical Author: William C. Shiel, Jr., MD, FACP, FACR
Doctors who specialize in the treatment of patients with arthritis (myself included) generally agree that many patients experience a worsening of joint symptoms with changes in the weather. Moreover, folklore holds that the weather can affect arthritis as emphasized by sayings like "feeling under the weather." We know, for example, that weather clearly influences many health conditions. Examples of this relationship include altitude and ears popping, pollens in the air and asthma or sinus infection, sun rays and skin burning or skin cancer, cold weather and heart attacks, and gloomy, dark weather and depression. We also know that heat packs or hot showers can relax the muscles around the joints and relieve stiffness and pain for some. Conversely, ice packs can ease the inflammation in the joints themselves.
But does the weather actually affect arthritis? If so, how?
First, there hasn't been much real research science. In 1961, a famous arthritis specialist, J. Hollander M.D., conducted a study in which he built a climate chamber and demonstrated that high humidity combined with low barometric pressure were associated with increased joint pain and stiffness. Neither weather factor by itself seemed to influence joint symptoms. The study has been criticized because of the limited number of patients evaluated (12 patients). The theory of the study is that inflamed joints swell as the barometric pressure drops. This swelling irritates the nerves around the joints that sense pain and causes more stiffness.
For complete article: http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=14686&page=2
Doctors who specialize in the treatment of patients with arthritis (myself included) generally agree that many patients experience a worsening of joint symptoms with changes in the weather. Moreover, folklore holds that the weather can affect arthritis as emphasized by sayings like "feeling under the weather." We know, for example, that weather clearly influences many health conditions. Examples of this relationship include altitude and ears popping, pollens in the air and asthma or sinus infection, sun rays and skin burning or skin cancer, cold weather and heart attacks, and gloomy, dark weather and depression. We also know that heat packs or hot showers can relax the muscles around the joints and relieve stiffness and pain for some. Conversely, ice packs can ease the inflammation in the joints themselves.
But does the weather actually affect arthritis? If so, how?
First, there hasn't been much real research science. In 1961, a famous arthritis specialist, J. Hollander M.D., conducted a study in which he built a climate chamber and demonstrated that high humidity combined with low barometric pressure were associated with increased joint pain and stiffness. Neither weather factor by itself seemed to influence joint symptoms. The study has been criticized because of the limited number of patients evaluated (12 patients). The theory of the study is that inflamed joints swell as the barometric pressure drops. This swelling irritates the nerves around the joints that sense pain and causes more stiffness.
For complete article: http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=14686&page=2
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