Ever heard someone say they "feel" a storm coming? Well chances are they were predicting the weather with some accuracy. Many people suffering from chronic joint disorders, like arthritis, may agree that joint pain and cold weather are related.

How Cold Weather Affects Joint Pain

Change in Barometric Pressure

The weight of the atmosphere that surrounds us, known as barometric pressure, often drops before the onset of bad weather. Tissue begins to expand as lower air pressure pushes less against the body. These expanded tissues can add pressure on joints and cause aches and pains to flare up.

Nerve Sensitivity

If you've been injured, the nerves in your joint may become extra sensitive to temperatures dropping due to scarring, inflammation, or adhesions.

Thickness of Joint Fluid

When temperatures drop, the synovial fluid that acts as a shock absorber within the joint may thicken, causing joints to stiffen.

How To Alleviate Joint Pain

If you feel your joint pain starts to worsen during time spent in the cold, staying warm and staying active may help alleviate joint aches and pains.

Make sure to wear proper clothing when venturing outside. When you're stuck indoors, keeping your home heated, drinking a warm beverage or bundling up in a cozy blanket can do wonders in reducing joint pain.

Keep your joints limber and strong by doing stretches and exercising. Make sure to massage your fingers and hands to keep those nerves and muscles from stiffening. The Gelliflex™ Abacus^® can offer relief by giving a circulatory and compressive self-massage.

Though this weather-related pain hurts, it’s only temporary. Joints should return back to normal as soon as the barometric pressure increases and the temperatures rise.