Chronic pain diseases are incredibly debilitating. The constant pain from arthritis and other causes of chronic pain are hard to describe, but they affect every aspect of one’s life.
One of the worst parts about chronic pain is the effect of weather on the condition. Those with chronic pain conditions need to check the weather report each day to determine if they’ll be able to participate in activities they love.
In this post, we’ll take a look at chronic pain and the effect weather can have on symptoms of these terrible conditions.
Chronic Pain Examples
There are numerous examples of chronic pain seen today. Fibromyalgia, migraines, and arthritis are three common types of chronic pain that affect many people around the world. Let’s take a look at a few of these examples of chronic pain conditions.
Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is a misunderstood condition that causes countless problems for patients. This issue used to be passed off by doctors as the patient simply “faking” his or her symptoms. Unfortunately, many of these patients were seen as malingerers and they never received proper treatment.
Now, we understand that fibromyalgia is a real, albeit mysterious, condition. Patients with fibromyalgia will suffer from unbearable pain throughout their bodies for no apparent reason. It can be hard for them to do anything throughout the day without suffering a painful attack.
Migraines
Headaches are one thing, but migraines are another issue entirely. Migraines are extreme headaches that can literally leave patients blind and unable to function for periods of time. These headaches and attacks are usually caused by something specific, known as a migraine trigger.
Arthritis
Arthritis comes in many different varieties. Osteoarthritis is one of the most common forms of the condition. This issue is caused by a wearing down of the joints that occurs due to overuse or misuse of the body.
Arthritis sufferers will often seek out surgical and medicinal options for the pain, as they can’t find relief in many other ways.
Weather and Chronic Pain
With the above conditions in mind, let’s examine the topic of weather and chronic pain. Can weather really make chronic pain worse?
As is usually the answer for questions like this: it depends. For many arthritis sufferers, yes, weather changes can cause more pain. The increased pressure that comes with hot, humid weather can make the joints swell, leading to increased pain. At the same time, very cold weather can also make the joints hurt for arthritis sufferers.
When it comes to migraines, weather can be a trigger. Certain weather phenomena can actually trigger a migraine, causing the patient to suffer an attack. Migraine attacks can sometimes last for many hours, so this is a huge problem for these individuals.
Fibromyalgia symptoms can also vary based on the weather. Because fibromyalgia has such an important emotional and psychological component, responses to certain weather patterns can cause these patients to suffer worse pain, depending on what is going on outside.
Chiropractic Care and Chronic Pain
Luckily, chiropractic care can help patients with all types of chronic pain. While chiropractors can’t change the weather, they can reduce the severity of one’s symptoms through simple, tried and true treatment methods.
Chiropractors perform manipulations to the spine, correcting any misalignments and helping patients recover quickly. These gentle, quick treatments are well-liked by chronic pain sufferers, as they are often the only things that ever really help them feel any sort of relief.
Do you or a loved one suffer from a chronic pain condition? Are you worried about the upcoming summer heat that you know will make your issue worse? If this sounds like you, be sure to talk to the team at At Last Chiropractic, your go-to Lithia chiropractor. We would be happy to help you today. Book your appointment now!
