Weather & pain: find out your local aches&pains forecast

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Tracking weather: Find out your local Aches & Pains Forecast

One weather forecasting website understands how the the weather can affect some

health conditions, and offers you a chance to be aware of weather factors in

your area that could affect how you feel physically.

Go to: www.weather.com

scroll down to the area called " Connect with Your Weather "

Under the heading: " Health, " click on " Aches & Pains Forecast "

When you get to the Aches & Pain page, you can get your local Aches & Pains

Forecast by typing in your zipcode in the appropriate box.

On this page you can also select the " Aches & Pains Weather Maps " which are

designed to help you track changing weather and the Aches & Pains index.

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Aches & Pains 101: Learn how weather might influence headaches, arthritis and

more

Weather.com

Introduction

For as long as people have been aware of weather, they've pondered its impact on

their health. The Greeks noted the effect of " hot and cold winds " on pain and

illness 2,400 years ago. During the Civil War, physicians wrote about amputee

soldiers sensing pain in their " phantom " limbs when the weather changed. And

folk wisdom tells of people who " feel the weather in their bones. " In modern

times, doctors continue to explore the connection between weather and pain,

especially in relation to chronic conditions such as migraine headaches and

arthritis.

While many people maintain that the weather affects how they feel, scientific

studies linking weather to chronic pain don't always agree. Some doctors say

it's a matter of perception; patients might feel worse on a rainy day, they say,

just because it's gloomy. But others say the pain is very real. Not all people

who suffer from chronic pain feel effects from the weather. Among those who do,

reactions depend on the individual and can be hard to measure.

For those people who are sensitive to weather, changes in weather are generally

more likely to affect them than specific weather conditions. Doctors who

specialize in chronic pain sometimes suggest that patients keep a detailed

journal of weather conditions to establish a possible relationship to their

pain.

In particular, the following weather factors may contribute to aches and pains:

Barometric Pressure

Barometric pressure is the weight exerted by the air around us. Rapidly falling

barometric pressure generally signals the onset of stormy weather, and is

believed to have a strong correlation with the potential for feeling aches and

pains. Rising pressure may also affect some people.

Humidity

Humidity is the amount of water vapor in the air. It can be expressed as

" absolute humidity " (the amount of water vapor per unit of air) or the more

familiar " relative humidity " (the amount of water vapor relative to the amount

of moisture the air can hold at a given temperature). An increase in absolute

humidity, especially in the summer, can lead to an increased potential for aches

and pains. Some research also finds a correlation between dry, cold air and

migraine headaches.

Precipitation

Precipitation includes not only rain, but also snow, sleet, hail or any other

form of water that reaches the ground. It is considered a factor in aches and

pains because stormy weather accompanies changes in barometric pressure and

humidity. For those sensitive to hot weather, such as some people with multiple

sclerosis, rain can cool the atmosphere and may bring some relief.

Temperature

Rapidly rising or falling temperatures are a hallmark of big weather changes,

indicating underlying shifts in barometric pressure. Extremes in temperature,

not just changing temperatures, can also affect the potential for feeling aches

and pains. Low temperatures may trigger migraine headaches, exacerbate

circulatory conditions such as Raynaud's phenomenon and contribute to arthritic

joint stiffness. Cold weather has also been associated with an increase in

asthma-related hospital admissions.

Wind

Wind often results from big shifts in weather, indicating that barometric

pressure and other factors may be changing rapidly. Wind is also a health

consideration because it can carry pollution and allergens far distances,

therefore affecting people with respiratory ailments such as asthma.

MORE:

Part 2: Learn about some health conditions that may be affected by the weather.

Part 3: Human Barometers: Can you forecast the weather through aches & pains?

Aches & Pains Local Forecast: Just enter your city or zip on the Aches & Pains

welcome page.

Message Board: Share your questions and experiences with other readers.

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[Guest guest]

Well, how COOL is THAT?? THANKS Cindy!!! Love it!

Love Lana