chronic pain cold

Cloudy With a Chance of Chronic Pain

/ Thomas Cohn, MD

Chronic Pain Rain MinnesotaNew research from across the pond shines some light on the correlation between some weather patterns and expression of chronic pain.

For their study, researchers conducted a study called the Cloudy Project that involved more than 9,000 patients with chronic pain. Each day, patients would track their levels of daily pain through a smartphone app. When pain levels were entered, the app also recorded the local weather at that date and time. Patients recorded their pain levels for a total of 18 months.

Pain and the Rain

After looking at the data, researchers uncovered a link between poor weather and greater expression of pain. As the cold winter months turned to spring and the sun was up longer and more often, researchers noticed that pain levels dropped and severe pain was experienced far less frequently. They also noticed that pain levels spiked again during a rainy stretch in June. Researchers said there certainly is a correlation between chronic pain expression and the weather, but they want to conduct future studies to better understand why this correlation exists.

“Once the link is proven, people will have the confidence to plan their activities in accordance with the weather,” said Will Dixon, a professor of digital epidemiology at Manchester’s School of Biological Sciences. “In addition, understanding how weather influences pain will allow medical researchers to explore new pain interventions and treatments.”

Dixon called for individuals with chronic pain to reach out to the Cloudy Project about the chance to participate in future studies and help medical researchers better understand the mechanisms behind chronic pain.

“To work out the details of how weather influences pain, we need as many people as possible to participate in the study and track their symptoms on their smartphone,” Dixon said. “If you are affected by chronic pain, this is your chance to take do something personally — and easily — to lead to a breakthrough in our understanding of pain.”

Baby it’s Cold Outside: Chronic Pain and the Cold

/ Thomas Cohn, MD

Many people who suffer from pain feel worse when it is cold outside. Those who have joint problems like osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, nerve damage and muscle disease have more pain when the temperature drops. If we have been told to use ice to prevent injuries from hurting, many ask why they feel worse when cold weather settles in. The reason for feeling pain is the same reason we actually use ice packs to prevent pain. Cold can slow the transmission of the nerves. Placing ice on an injury keeps inflammation down and reduces the ability to transmit pain signals.

Chronic conditions that cause pain often become worse with the cold. When the body is cold, muscles, tendons, ligaments and joints do not move as well as when they are warm. Joints become stiff from the joint fluid not flowing as smoothly.

Chronic Pain Cold

In the cold, muscles, ligaments and tendons are also stiff. The body is not much different than many other materials when exposed to cold. Materials like plastic become brittle when exposed to cold and become more pliable when warm. The body is not much different. When cold, many structures become stiff and do not move as well. As the structures in the body are warmed up, they move better and smoother. If a structure is not moving well, it is likely we feel it and sense the abnormality of movement. Most people feel the change in sensation of movement as discomfort, stiffness, aches or pain.

Frozen Nerves

Cold can also stimulate nerves. Some pain fibers respond specifically to the cold and send signals of pain when they sense it. Furthermore, a large portion of the nervous system functions to inhibit abnormal signals. Cold slows nerve transmission in general and thus slows the body’s ability to inhibit signals. The body’s ability to control pain signals are also impaired and slowed by cold.

Winter is here, and the weather is unlikely to get much better for several months. When it is cold outside, it is important to keep your body warm to reduce pain. Warmth allows the body to function more normally. Normal body temperature allows the fabric of the body to move smoothly. Keeping the body close to normal temperature allows its structure to function the best with the least amount of pain.