Why do weather changes affect joints?
Summary:
The results of studies on the relationship between joint pain and weather conditions show a significant correlation between variations in barometric pressure and joint pain, regardless of where the study was performed. The one carried out in Barcelona concludes that many patients with osteoarthritis experience an increase in joint pain when the atmospheric pressure drops a few hours or days before it starts to rain.
The data indicate that 40% of patients with osteoarthritis are able to predict meteorological phenomena from their pain. People who have suffered trauma fractures may also experience pain associated with changes in atmospheric pressure in the affected bones.
There are many hypotheses as to why this phenomenon occurs. One of them proposes that patients with osteoarthritis may have receptors that act on pressure changes or low temperatures and release certain biochemicals. But these receptors and these substances, if they exist, have not been identified.
The data indicate that 40% of patients with osteoarthritis are able to predict meteorological phenomena from their pain. People who have suffered trauma fractures may also experience pain associated with changes in atmospheric pressure in the affected bones.There are many hypotheses as to why this phenomenon occurs. One of them proposes that patients with osteoarthritis may have receptors that act on pressure changes or low temperatures and release certain biochemicals. But these receptors and these substances, if they exist, have not been identified.
Link:
Publication date:
21/05/18
Scientific field:
Meteorology and biology.
Glossary:
Joint: a structure in the human or animal body at which two parts of the skeleton are fitted together.
Osteoarthritis: degeneration of joint cartilage and the underlying bone, most common from middle age onward. It causes pain and stiffness, especially in the hip, knee, and thumb joints.
Atmospheric pressure: the pressure exerted by the weight of the atmosphere, which at sea level has a mean value of 101,325 pascals (roughly 14.6959 pounds per square inch).
Analysis comment:
Osteoarthritis: degeneration of joint cartilage and the underlying bone, most common from middle age onward. It causes pain and stiffness, especially in the hip, knee, and thumb joints.
Atmospheric pressure: the pressure exerted by the weight of the atmosphere, which at sea level has a mean value of 101,325 pascals (roughly 14.6959 pounds per square inch).
Analysis comment:
Everyone has ever heard an elderly person predict rain due to knee pain and thought it was a coincidence. However, this article shows how it is not. He explains that studies have been carried out in different locations, that is, in places with different atmospheric pressures and different people with osteoarthritis or fractures, and that in most cases a relationship has been established between atmospheric weather and joints.On the one hand, it is not very clear to researchers what this is about, but in my opinion more studies should be carried out as there is much to discover in this area and it may lead to a breakthrough for science.
On the other hand, it is interesting that only people with osteoarthritis or fractures are able to notice the change in atmospheric pressure caused by the weather, although it is understood that this is due to the fact that the bones are weaker and therefore more susceptible to this type of change.If we look to the future, it is believed that non-pharmacological and pharmacological treatments for patients could be modulated according to the weather forecast and thus avoid the pain and functional disability caused by this type of disease, which seems to me to be an incredible advance in bone diseases.
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