Weather Changes & Arthritis

Some sufferers say damp conditions make athritis even more painful.

When people say, "It must be damp out," when they have not even looked outside that day, they're not fortune tellers. Some people can feel it in their bones--because they have arthritis.

By Definition

The word "arthritis" comes from the Greek word "arthron," meaning joint, and the Latin word "itis," which means inflammation.

Recent Research

Two 2008 studies showed that research on weather's affect on arthritis produced conflicting results.

Inconclusive

Even though there was evidence to suggest the study groups experienced more pain when the weather was cold and rainy, the associations were not strong enough to substantiate the pain predictors of weather.

Types

A two-year study of elderly Floridians with osteoarthritis could not strongly correlate the weather and pain theory either. A small connection was found in older women with hand pain; when the barometric pressure rose, so did their discomfort level.

Conclusion

Climate is not connected to why a person suffers from arthritis or how long the individual will have the condition. However, people living in warmer, drier climates such as Arizona may suffer less pain.

References

• Johns Hopkins Medicine: Does Weather Affect Arthritis Pain?