Seasonal changes and arthritis… fact or fiction?
We appear to be functioning, healthy people from the outside, but the wrong movement or even a change in season, can make life painful and difficult.
This year, more than 40 million people in the United States will complain of some form of arthritis that will limit their quality of life and make doing even the most mundane tasks difficult. Brushing hair, opening a jar, reaching for a book on a high shelf – the mere thought of performing any of these acts can be excruciatingly painful for someone with arthritis.
As a healthcare professional who has spent the better part of her career treating people with hand arthritis, as well as suffering from it myself, I understand the pain and limitations associated with this disease. We appear to be functioning, healthy people from the outside, but the wrong movement or even a change in season, can make life painful and difficult. People often ask for my feedback on arthritis – why does it hurt so much, why can’t I bend my finger, when will my quality of life resume? But one of the most consistently asked questions is whether environmental or barometric conditions affect arthritis.
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Things don’t have to be as grim as they seem for this core audience. On the contrary, I have hand arthritis and with the proper management regimen, along with the proper tools and gadgets, I am able to enjoy a wide variety of activities, even when the seasons change. I rake my leaves in the fall, shovel snow in the winter, and garden in the spring. I clean my home, type, and enjoy cooking for family and friends.
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Arthritis is more exaggerated when the seasons change. People with arthritis often claim they can predict the weather, based on their joint pain level, and with good reason. Studies show a variety of weather factors can increase pain, but what causes the most trouble for arthritis patients is actually the change in humidity and barometric pressure. The fluctuation in barometric pressure adds increased pressure to the arthritis-afflicted joints, which causes the pain. So, while many have thought that colder weather makes their arthritis more painful, that is, in fact, just an old wives tale.
Colder weather does play a role in the medical severity of arthritis but that effect is more likely the result of our tightening our muscles when we get cold and moving more stiffly in our heavy winter clothing. This reduced mobility and the tendency to reduce exercise in the cold can lead to increased pain and stiffness. Warm humid weather may also contribute to increased joint pain making it seem as though the change in temperature is the cause. In fact, it is that nemesis humidity that may be making your joints hurt just when warm weather makes you want to go outside and be more active.
Over time, I have learned how to adjust my lifestyle to manage my arthritis without allowing it to manage me. It’s easier said than done, I know, but consider these suggestions when doing some easy chores around the house. I always have adaptive devices at the ready, which can help to reduce the pain that many simple tasks cause. When you place too much force on your thumb joint, which is usually the origination point of hand arthritis, opening a jar, holding a pen, or combing your hair, can increase arthritis pain. And, while equipment cannot cure arthritis, it can help lessen the progression and make doing daily activities less painful and less stressful.
Some aids that I find helpful to have available include a long-handled reacher for grabbing things from a high shelf; a damp towel to anchor jars I want to open; a good pen with steady ink flow to prevent pressure on the hand; work gloves with a gripping surface for many household chores; and a stocking aid or sock aid, which make getting dressed easier.
A hand support enables those with arthiritis to particpate in daily activities, while supporting the thumb joint at the same time. I have been wearing supports for years and have found them to be a good everyday solution. After years of experience recommending and fitting hand supports on patients, it is quite clear that they offer many benefits.
As you can imagine, though, if the support doesn’t fit well, it won’t do its job and you will continue to feel pain. So, about thirteen years ago, I created a support that was lighter and more flexible than existing products, allowed the hand to bend, move, and grasp objects easier than anything else on the market, and was adaptable to fit a large range of hand sizes.
As we prepare for the next change of season, it is important to keep in mind that arthritis symptoms will be impacted, so you should prepare ahead of time. I hope that some of the tips and advice I have shared will be helpful. The most important thing I can say is that arthritis is a disease, but it doesn’t have to rule your life. There are tools, devices, and tricks to keep in mind to make your quality of life better.
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"Seasonal changes and arthritis… fact or fiction?"
authored by:
Julie Belkin, is an Annapolis, Md.-based hand therapist, orthotist and arthritis expert who has been advising people for years on how to best cope with their arthritis symptoms. As President and founder of 3-Point Products, a local Stevensville, Md. ...
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