How Weather Changes Affect Health

Joint Pain

Research indicates joints can be quite sensitive to temperature and rapid changes in temperature, particularly when it gets colder. The cold causes muscles and ligaments to stiffen and adds extra pressure on joints, which can result in pain. This sensitivity to cold also applies to the drop in temperature before most storms, which is where the adage of someone feeling a storm coming 'in their bones' comes from.

Although cold weather is most often the culprit behind joint pain, it can also occur due to warmer weather. Specifically, spending an extended period in the heat can result in dehydration and less fluid in the joint, which can exacerbate issues with joint pain.

Allergies And Asthma

Extreme weather, both cold and hot, can aggravate an individual’s asthma. Cold weather, in particular, can constrict the airways and make it harder to breathe even for those without asthma. Cold weather can also trigger seasonal asthma and cases of bronchitis as a result. Hot weather, on the other hand, can mean more exposure to air pollutants that can irritate cases of asthma.

When it comes to allergies and weather, it all depends on what the individual is allergic to. For instance, windy days can blow pollen into the air more, which can worsen someone’s hay fever. Moisture from humid days can make an individual’s allergy to mold or dust mites worsen in severity. Those with allergic asthma can find the increase in air pollution on hot days worse or experience difficulty when exercising when it is cold outside. Of course, the seasons also bring their own allergens, such as pollen in the spring and ragweed grass pollen in the summer and fall. Indoor allergens, of course, take over in the winter since the majority of individuals spend more time inside when it is cold out.