We’ve all heard people complain that their chronic condition is acting up on a rainy day. Or that they feel worse when the weather turns bad. But for many people who suffer from chronic pain, hot temperatures may actually make them feel worse than cold ones.
Although scientists aren’t certain of the reason for the association, there are several theories. One possibility is that our veins and other bodily tissues contract and expand in response to changing temperatures. All these internal changes can put pressure on your body and prevent it from functioning properly. Similarly, alterations in the barometric pressure have been shown to correlate to increased bodily pain among chronic sufferers.
Whether you have arthritis, fibromyalgia, persistent headache, or another condition, the heat and humidity that come from changing weather can make the summer a miserable time. Below, we’ll take a look at how these changes affect several common conditions as well as some techniques for chronic pain management.
Chronic Pain Conditions
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- Fibromyalgia. People who suffer from fibromyalgia experience temperature sensitivity. This means that any extreme alteration in the weather—whether hot or cold—is likely to lead to increased pain. Roughly 80% of fibromyalgia patients experience this uptick in pain due to temperature change.
- Multiple Sclerosis. Multiple sclerosis is associated with several different types of pain, including neuropathic pain in the arms or legs, back pain, muscle spasms, and Lhermitte’s sign. For MS sufferers, anything that raises their body temperature can potentially worsen their symptoms, a phenomenon known as the Uhthoff sign.
- Arthritis. People with osteoarthritis or any kind of inflammatory arthritis often find that their chronic pain is worsened by changes in the weather. Although this is often the case with cold or damp conditions, many also report an increase in discomfort during hot and humid conditions, likely due to the expansion and contraction of their tendons and ligaments.
- Persistent Headache. Temperature changes of all kinds can bring on an attack among people who suffer from persistent headaches. However, hot and humid conditions are usually worse since they can lead to dehydration, one of the primary triggers of headaches.
How to Beat the Heat
For many sufferers of chronic pain, managing their condition starts with staying cool. Some common techniques for beating the heat include staying hydrated and staying out of the sun. It can be a good idea to limit your exposure to direct sunlight and to carry a water bottle with you wherever you go. In addition, wearing loose-fitting and breathable clothing and wearing a hat or sunglasses can help keep you cool.
If you find, though, that staying cool is not enough to keep your pain in check, there are other chronic pain management techniques that you can draw on. One possible solution might be ketamine infusions. Ketamine infusions are a safe and effective way to treat chronic pain, with a single treatment shown to last for up to 11-months in some patients.
Contact VIP Ketamine Clinics
If you’d like to learn more about this innovative treatment, we’re here to answer any questions you might have. Contact VIP Ketamine today to get more information or to schedule an appointment.