Jen Asmonga, 32, an elementary school teacher from Pittsburgh’s Plum Borough, has had rheumatoid arthritis since she was 4. n Despite dealing with the disease almost all her life, aggressive treatment and therapy have left her “pretty pain free.”
When the weather changes, though, the pain sometimes flares up, says Asmonga, a volunteer with the Arthritis Foundation of Western Pennsylvania.
“You can kind of sense when it’s coming,” she says. “Sometimes it’s a snowstorm coming, or rain in particular.”
Dr. Alan Kivitz, president of the Altoona Arthritis and Osteoporosis Center in Duncansville, Pa., says for the longest time patients like Asmonga would tell their doctors they could predict the weather with their joint pain. But science couldn’t tell them why—until recently.
Winter brings all sorts of headaches, among them joint pain, which can be compounded by shoveling snow, chipping away at icy car windows, and even taking a tumble on a slick sidewalk.
Recent research shows the weather itself is a culprit in achy joints. A 2007 study by researchers at Tufts University in Boston provides evidence that the weather really can cause discomfort for those with arthritis and other kinds of joint pain. The study showed that every 10-degree drop in temperature corresponded to an incremental increase in people’s joint pain.
And evidence is building that the real culprit might be a part of the forecast most of us ignore—the barometer reading.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, when the barometric pressure drops, tissues in joints can swell, pushing them against muscles and nerves in the area and causing pain.
Bob Smerbeck, a senior meteorologist with State College, Pa.-based AccuWeather, says the phenomenon can really be felt with the wild swings in air pressure, which we frequently experience in the wintertime.
“You’ll hear people say, ‘It’s going to rain today—I can feel it in my shoulders.’ There’s some truth to that,” Smerbeck says. “There could be a storm front approaching, and pressure could be falling.”
Smerbeck, who has been predicting the weather for three decades, says the barometric pressure in our atmosphere puts pressure on our bodies—and on the tissues within our bodies.
“It’s a like a human barometer,” Smerbeck says. “Depending on what the air pressure is, those tissues can expand or contract. When the air pressure drops, those tissues can expand against nerves inside your joints and cause pain.”
Big storms are caused by low-pressure systems, so when the weather is about to get nasty, the pressure drops, tissues in our bodies expand and—ouch!—our joints can start to ache.
People with arthritis and other forms of joint aches have long sought warmer, drier climates in hopes of lessening their pain. And while research suggests cold air has a negative effect on those with joint pain, Smerbeck says science also can explain the benefits of low-humidity climates.
Even though we typically refer to humid air as feeling “heavy,” humid air is actually lighter, Smerbeck says. The molecules that make up water vapor weigh less than molecules like nitrogen and others in drier air, meaning more humid air puts less pressure on human tissues, allowing them to expand and, in some cases, cause joint pain.
If you have osteoarthritis or joint pain caused by a previous injury or surgery, there are some simple things you can do to make wintertime a little less painful.
8 Hot Tips for Winter Joint Health
1. What you eat and drink makes a difference
Warm beverages can help keep your body warm, and keeping your body warm will help alleviate joint pain, says Dr. Nora Sandorfi, a board-certified rheumatologist and associate professor at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine.
So fill up a mug of hot chocolate or hot tea, as long as it’s decaf—excess caffeine can weaken your bones, according to the Arthritis Foundation.
The Arthritis Foundation recommends a diet rich in calcium, which helps keep your bones strong and can lower your risk of osteoporosis. And think outside the milk carton—yogurt, broccoli, kale, figs and salmon all provide good amounts of calcium, and you can take supplements, too.
Also on the foundation’s recommended menu—vitamin C-rich fruits and juices, a colorful array of fruits and vegetables, and fish with plenty of omega-3 fatty acids.
2. How much you eat and drink matters
We all let loose a little at holiday parties and with winter comfort food, but that leaves many of us loosening our belts come January.
Excess weight puts pressure on joints already under strain, so maintaining a healthy weight is especially important for people who suffer from joint pain.
There is a correlation between people who suffer from both obesity and osteoarthritis, Sandorfi says, and dropping pounds makes a big difference in joint pain.
“Weight loss is crucial,” Sandorfi says. “Even a 10% to 20% weight loss brings a very significant pain relief,” she says, sometimes offering as much as a 40% improvement in how you feel.
Kivitz says weight loss will be most beneficial for people with pain in a weight-bearing joint, such as the back or hips, than it will be for those with pain in other areas. That’s why it’s really important this time of year to limit the number of Christmas cookies and slices of pumpkin pie you’re eating.
The same goes for how much you drink. Alcohol in moderation is OK, but beware the extra calories it packs. And if your joint pain is caused by gout, avoid it altogether, Sandorfi says, since it’s alcohol in the first place—beer being a big culprit—that can lead to the condition.
If you are looking to raise a glass, hot drinks such as German mulled wine—maybe with a little lemon and sugar, anyone?—could have a therapeutic value.
“Boy, does it warm you up,” she says
And don’t forget to stay hydrated.
3. Don’t take relaxation to an extreme
When the weather outside gets frightful, many of us tend to slip into our cocoons, hole up on our couches and settle in for the long winter. But too much vegging out could make things flare up.
“It’s kind of hard to get out of the house when it’s cold,” Sandorfi says. “That does not help the joints. You want to keep them lubricated and keep things moving.”
4. So, get some exercise
Any kind of exercise is good to keep blood flowing to the joints, and, of course, keep your weight in check.
“Exercise of any type is beneficial and important for people with arthritis,” Kivitz says.
People with arthritis and other forms of joint pain see particular benefits from low-impact exercises such as swimming.
“Water therapy is good for anyone with arthritis in general,” Kivitz says. It’s low-impact and a good workout.
According to the Mayo Clinic, exercise is beneficial for those with arthritis because it strengthens the muscles around your joints, helps you maintain bone integrity, gives you more energy, makes it easier to sleep, and makes you feel better about yourself.
But Kivitz cautions patients not to feel compelled to exercise if they’re hurting.
“Ultimately, you have to listen to your body,” he says.
5. Spicy foods: a good RX
The same spices that give your mouth a kick when you eat salsa or Szechuan beef have benefits throughout your body.
“(Spicy food) raises the temperature, makes you feel warmer and it alleviates the pain,” Sandorfi says.
Creams like Capzasin use extracts from hot peppers, and have been shown to provide some relief to people suffering from arthritis pain, Sandorfi says. Other over-the-counter brands like Icy Hot and its counterparts can do the job as well.
“They have a warming sensation, bring blood into the area” and release a hormone that provides pain relief, she says.
Warming massage oils are also good for rubbing into sore hands and knees, she says.
6. Fill up the tub
In Sandorfi’s native Hungary, people soak in natural hot springs to and soothe their aches.
“People recognize the effects of warm water on joint pain,” she says.
Now, most parts of the United States are not blessed with hot springs, but a hot bath can have significant benefits, as long as you’re not also suffering from high blood pressure. In that case, stick to warm water.
And you can even throw in some Epsom salts, which are rich in magnesium, a mineral that’s important for bone and heart health, according to the Arthritis Foundation.
7. Bundle up at bedtime
Doctors agree on the need for proper sleep for people with arthritis and other joint pain. And Asmonga says bedtime is another opportunity to ensure your body temperature doesn’t dip.
She says she grew up sleeping on a waterbed because they’re heated, and now she has a heated mattress cover. Asmonga recommends getting a heated mattress cover, or an electric blanket, to keep you warm and maybe help fend off any pain in the morning.
“That makes a huge difference. It also keeps your sheets warm. So it’s a win-win all around,” she says.
8. Load on lots of layers
“It’s extremely important to keep the core temperature high,” Sandorfi says. “It’s important to wear a hat, gloves and additional layers.”
Long underwear and other layers on your legs can help with pain in your lower joints.
“It protects your knees, hips and joints from the cold temperature,” she says.
Moisture doesn’t help sore joints. Wool socks and other types of moisture-wicking material will help keep feet warm while pulling away moisture.
And go for mittens instead of gloves. Rather than isolating the fingers mittensa allow your digits to share the warmth, so to speak. Asmonga says she feels better in the winter when she bundles up.
“If I go out without gloves, my hands definitely have limited mobility,” she says. “It’s about staying warm and keeping those joints warm and feeling good.”
