Feel worse
Why rain really could make aches
WHEN Granny claimed she could feel a change of weather in her bones, she may have been on to something.
For doctors say it seems there really might be a link between the weather and pain.
A study suggests dull, rainy days may be particularly painful for those who suffer from arthritis, chronic backache or migraines.
But cold weather did not seem to be a factor, despite people often blaming it when symptoms flare up. The study, called Cloudy With A Chance Of Pain, could lead to daily ‘pain forecasts’ similar to pollen warnings in weather reports for hay fever sufferers.
The 28million Britons blighted by chronic pain could then better plan their lives, scheduling more demanding tasks for days when they should feel relatively well. In a talk at the British Science Festival in Swansea, the team behind the study said the idea that weather influences pain was thousands of years old. More than 80 per cent of arthritis patients still believe the two are linked.
Some blame rain, others the cold, changes in atmospheric pressure, strong winds or even lunar cycles. But no study had yet investigated the link in detail or attempted to pinpoint the most painful weather.
So, Manchester University experts created a mobile phone app which people with longterm pain conditions can download. Once a day they rate their pain and type in information about their mood and activities.
The researchers then put this data together with detailed weather information recorded automatically by the app.
More than 9,000 people have signed up since the programme was launched in February, and more are needed. But preliminary analysis of data provided by 100 men and women showed pain often eased between February and April, as the days got sunnier.
However, discomfort rose sharply in June – which this year was hot but also dull and wet. Dr Will Dixon, a consultant rheumatologist, said this suggests that temperature isn’t the key factor. Instead, rain and a lack of sunshine seem to fuel pain. One possibility is that we feel down when the weather is bad and this affects our perception of pain. Another is that atmospheric pressure also affects the distribution of fluids in the joints. Dr Dixon said: ‘Our early results have been encouraging so far ... and I think there is definitely a possible link. In terms of physiology, it makes sense that air pressure would influence pain – particularly in arthritis. Once the link is proven, people will have the confidence to plan their activities in accordance with the weather.’
Dr Stephen Simpson, of Arthritis Research UK, said: ‘Although this study is not yet complete, it is potentially exciting that the interim results indicate there might be correlation between the two.’
To find out more, visit www.cloudywithachanceofpain.com