July Newsletter: How the Heat Affects Your Joints

Old man struggles with knee pain.

How the Heat Affects Your Joints

Wondering why your joints hurt when it's warm outside? Cold or rainy weather aren't the only culprits responsible for joint pain. In fact, balmy temperatures can affect your joints just as much as the cold.

Why Increasing Temperatures Can Lead to Joint Pain

Synovial fluid surrounds your joints, helping the bones glide easily when you move. The fluid becomes thicker or thinner due to changing temperatures and humidity levels. These changes affect the fluid's ability to cushion your joints and can worsen your joint pain symptoms. Joint pain and stiffness may be caused by:

  • Changing Barometric (Air) Pressure. Barometric pressure drops as humidity increases. Muscle tissue, tendons, and ligaments expand as barometric pressure decreases, which may trigger pain and stiffness. Barometric pressure changes may also irritate nerves in and around the joints, intensifying pain. Does your pain start just before a storm or cold front? Sudden drops in barometric pressure may happen before summer storms, causing discomfort for people with joint problems.
  • Dehydration. Increased sweating on hot, humid days makes it easy to become dehydrated if you don't drink enough water and other fluids. Fluid levels throughout your entire body, including the synovial fluid, drop due to dehydration. Dropping synovial fluid levels may cause pain, stiffness, and inflammation in your joints.

According to a systematic review and meta-analysis published in the Annals of Medicine in 2023, barometric pressure and relative humidity play a role in osteoarthritis pain intensity, while temperature doesn't seem to be a factor in pain.

Although temperature may not affect osteoarthritis pain, the same may not be true for gout. In a study published in The American Journal of Epidemiology in 2014, researchers reported that research participants were 40% more likely to experience a gout attack when the temperature was high.

Staying Comfortable in the Heat

If hot, humid weather aggravates your joint symptoms, these tips may help:

  • Limit Outdoor Time. Stay inside during the afternoon hours when heat and humidity may be at their peak. If you have air-conditioning, don't hesitate to turn it on, at least during the hottest part of the day or on days with high humidity. Plan excursions for the early morning or evening hours when it's not as hot.
  • Keep Moving. Movement can help ease pain and stiffness. Swimming offers the perfect way to beat the heat in the summer and keep your joints moving. Whether you prefer swimming, yoga, or another type of exercise, regular exercise strengthens the muscles that support the joints. Strong muscles improve the stability of your joints and decrease pain.
  • Increase Your Fluid Intake. Drinking water throughout the day will help you avoid pain, stiffness, and inflammation due to dehydration. Don't drink caffeinated or alcoholic beverages, as these drinks can cause or worsen dehydration.
  • See Your Chiropractor. Your chiropractor offers a variety of therapies that can help you manage your joint pain when it's hot and humid outside. Joint manipulation, massage, and other therapies realign and reduce stress on joints, improve nerve function, boost blood circulation, decrease inflammation, ease pain and stiffness in muscles and joints, relieve muscle spasms, and improve joint flexibility and range of motion.

Are you struggling with joint pain due to the heat? Whether you have osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, lupus, or another joint condition, we can ease your pain and help you move more comfortably. Contact our office to schedule your appointment with the chiropractor.

Sources:

American Journal of Epidemiology: Relation of Temperature and Humidity to the Risk of Recurrent Gout Attacks, 8/15/2014

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24993733/

NCBI: Annals of Medicine: Associations Between Weather Conditions and Osteoarthritis Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis, April 20, 2023

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10120534/

Arthritis Foundation: Best Climate for Arthritis Patients: Humidity's Impact on Your Joints

https://www.arthritis.org/health-wellness/healthy-living/managing-pain/understanding-pain/best-climate-for-arthritis

CBS News: Excessive Heat Can Increase Pain, Inflammation for People with Various Health Conditions, Including Arthritis, Heart Problems, 8/4/2022

https://www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia/news/excessive-heat-can-increase-pain-inflammation-for-people-with-various-health-conditions-including-arthritis-heart-problems/

Exclusive Offer

New Patients Receive a Free Consultation

Office Hours

Our Regular Schedule

hours_body

Monday:

9:00 am-5:00 pm

Tuesday:

1:30 pm-6:00 pm

Wednesday:

9:00 am-5:00 pm

Thursday:

1:30 pm-5:30 pm

Friday:

9:00 am-12:00 pm

Saturday:

Closed

Sunday:

Closed

Our Office Location

Find us on the map

Testimonials

Reviews By Our Satisfied Patients

  • "Thank you Dr. Wan for being you and teaching my about my nervous system. My beautiful spine is the temple that houses a miracle, my nervous system. I am forever grateful. Happy trails..."
    - Karen C.
  • "I have had a great experience here. The atmosphere is relaxed, and the facilities are clean. Dr. Wan cares about his patients and listens to what they have to say. He commiserates with you when things feel bad and celebrates with you when they get better. I have been going here for over a year, and I have experienced very positive changes in my body that are helping me to be the most balanced version of myself that I can be. Definitely recommend!"
    - Erin S.
  • "We recently switched to Dr. Wan and are very glad to have done so. Getting adjustments from him regularly has noticeably improved our well being. He is always friendly and positive, as is his staff. We would highly recommend this as a place to go for chiropractic."
    - Charles B.
  • "We have been going to Dr.Wan for 8 years now and he is AMAZING!! We get adjustments for ear infections, common colds, sports related symptoms, arthritis issues and just to keep us healthy overall. It’s amazing all the benefits chiropractic care can do for you and Dr.Wan is always happy to help explain the why’s and the how’s of everything so you can understand. Dr.Wan sees patients of all ages from babies, children, and adults of all ages. Dr.Wan is friendly and understanding and truly is focused on whole body wellness."
    - Tanya C.

Featured Articles

Read about interesting topics

NEWSLETTER SIGNUP

Sign up for more articles