[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2017\/10\/joint-pain-barometric-pressure\/#Article","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2017\/10\/joint-pain-barometric-pressure\/","headline":"Barometric Pressure and Pain: Does Weather Really Worsen Joint Pain?","name":"Barometric Pressure and Pain: Does Weather Really Worsen Joint Pain?","description":"Does barometric pressure or humidity worsen joint pain and arthritis? Learn more about how the weather affects our joints.","datePublished":"2017-10-25","dateModified":"2022-06-03","author":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.upmc.com\/","name":"UPMC","url":"https:\/\/www.upmc.com\/","sameAs":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/upmc\/","parentOrganization":"UPMC"},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"UPMC HealthBeat","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/UPMC-HealthBeat-Logo.png","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/UPMC-HealthBeat-Logo.png","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/joint-pain-barometric-pressure.jpg","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/joint-pain-barometric-pressure.jpg","height":325,"width":754},"url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2017\/10\/joint-pain-barometric-pressure\/","about":["Living and Wellness"],"wordCount":439,"keywords":["arthritis","joint pain","weather"],"articleBody":"We all know someone who brags that they can predict the weather based on their joint pain. Maybe you’ve experienced this phenomenon yourself: The day before a downpour, you notice increased stiffness, soreness, and aching in your joints.Does weather really affect joint pain?RELATED: Surprising Ways Exercise Improves Joint HealthPain During Bad Weather: Joint Pain and Barometric PressureIt’s a common question that patients ask their doctors: “Can weather make my joint pain worse?”The answer isn’t entirely clear, but it seems that there may indeed be a connection between weather and pain in your joints.\u201cI think in certain cases when you have arthritis…there are some occasions when people can really feel something when the weather changes,\u201d says Albert Lin, MD, chief of shoulder service and associate chief of sports medicine at UPMC. \u201cI don\u2019t know if it\u2019s the temperature, the barometer, or the pressure, but sometimes people can feel a little bit of a difference. There are also people who get fractures, and they have surgery and the joint\u2019s a little bit different after that. But does it happen in everyone? I would say no.\u201d\u00a0For more information, or to find a primary care doctor, visit www.UPMC.com\/PCP or call 1-855-676-UPMCPCP.Although it may seem like it’s the dampness that makes your joints ache, the culprit appears to be barometric pressure.Also known as atmospheric pressure, this is a measure of the pressure, or weight, of the surrounding air. In a study published in the May 2007 issue of the American Journal of Medicine, researchers at Boston’s Tufts University examined the effects of changes in weather in 200 people with osteoarthritis of the knee.They found that for every 10-degree drop in temperature, knee pain increased. Increases in barometric pressure also were associated with worsened pain.More recently, Dutch researchers compared reported pain and function scores in 188 people with osteoarthritis of the hip to weather records.They discovered that pain scores worsened by one point for each 10 percent rise in humidity. Function scores also worsened as barometric pressure increased. While other studies have shown conflicting results, it seems possible that weather can impact joint pain.“Fortunately, joint pain is temporary. Keep yourself comfortable by staying warm. Stay active and be aware of your mood. Sleep well and stay hydrated. You might also need to adjust your medication regimen. Stay happy and active,” said Mamta Patel, MD, UPMC Family Medicine South. Talk to your doctor if you have any concerns.Editor's Note: This article was originally published on October 25, 2017, and was last reviewed on June 3, 2022."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"2017","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2017\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"10","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2017\/\/10\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Barometric Pressure and Pain: Does Weather Really Worsen Joint Pain?","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2017\/10\/joint-pain-barometric-pressure\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]