Dealing with Arthritis in Hot Weather

We all know that one senior who claims they can feel the weather changing in their bones. Well, as it turns out — if they’ve got arthritis — they probably can!

Research shows that about 75% of people say they feel more pain or struggle with stiff joints in bad weather.

Though it may be more common to hear complaints about increased joint pain on cold, rainy days — many seniors living with arthritis notice their joint pain is worse in warm weather. But how exactly does hot weather affect joint pain? Does hot weather really cause arthritis flare ups or are there other factors at play?

In this post, we’ll discuss the links between hot weather and arthritis pain, as well as offer advice on what you can do to deal with the pain if your arthritis gets worse in hot weather.

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Joint Pain in Hot Weather

For those suffering with arthritis, how your joints react to hot (or cold) weather will vary depending on the type of arthritis you have.

According to Professor Karen Walker-Bone, a professor of Occupational Rheumatology at the University of Southampton, people with osteoarthritis do better in warmer and drier weather, while people with rheumatoid arthritis tend to thrive in cooler weather.

However, a 2015 Irish study looking at 133 patients, found people with rheumatoid arthritis had fewer joint symptoms (tenderness and swelling), and lower levels of inflammation, in sunny and less humid conditions.

Does Hot Weather Make Arthritis Worse?

According to the Cloudy with a Chance of Pain research project, there is no direct correlation between temperature and increased arthritis pain.

The study — which saw a group of University of Manchester–based researchers track over 13,000 UK residents living with chronic pain for 15 months — found after analyzing 5.1 million pain reports that higher humidity, lower pressure, and stronger winds were significantly associated with “high pain days.”

Researchers found that damp and windy days with low atmospheric pressure increased the chances of experiencing more pain than normal by around 20% and found that barometric pressure may affect your joints more than humidity, rainfall and temperature.

Some of you may be asking, “So then why do my joints hurt in hot weather?”

According to the study’s researchers, while you might notice that you experience more pain every time it’s very warm, the real cause is the other atmospheric components that come along with the heat. In other words, just because it tends to be hot or cold on the days you experience pain, that doesn’t mean the change in temperature is causing the change in pain.

For example, if someone with rheumatoid arthritis lives in a part of the world where it gets humid during the summer, they may incorrectly assume that their increased pain every summer is due to the heat — when in reality its cause is the changes in humidity.

Rheumatoid Arthritis in Hot Weather

While hot weather alone may not cause arthritis flare ups, there are plenty of side effects of heat that can lead to arthritis sufferer’s feeling increased pain and discomfort.

According to Dr. Carol Cooper, a GP with an interest in rheumatology, “Many people say their joint stiffness gets worse in very hot weather, and that may be at least partly related to fluid retention.”

If you find your rheumatoid arthritis feels worse in hot weather, she advises keeping cool, staying in the shade, and wearing natural fabrics. If these lifestyle changes aren’t enough, Professor Walker-Bone recommends taking advantage of ice packs or cool showers to help keep swelling down.

Over the counter anti-inflammatories can also be taken to help manage pain and reduce swelling. Other tools include staying active to help blood flow, staying properly hydrated, and avoiding excess salt in your diet.

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