When the Weather Hurts

I have lived in the midwest my whole life, growing up in Illinois and attending college in Iowa. I am used to the saying, "If you don’t like the weather, wait an hour and it’ll change" — which is mostly accurate during the spring and fall seasons. I fully understand that our summers are HOT and our winters are COLD, and those things are pretty predictable.

Here’s a true statement: I am well adept at toughing out 100-degree summers and minus-20-degree winters.

Here’s another true statement: When the weather is extreme, it negatively impacts my joints.

Summer is easier for my body than winter

In the very warm weather, my joint stiffness gets worse. I find that this is sometimes related to fluid retention and the level of humidity. This means that there are often times I stay indoors in the air conditioning, or I find shade wherever I can outdoors. I wear lightweight clothes to reduce my sweating, I try to get in gentle stretching after I wake up and before I go to bed, and I try my hardest to stay hydrated.

In general, the summer is easier for my body to tolerate than the winter.

Staying warm in colder weather

In the brutally cold weather, my aches turn into pains and are often the only thing I can focus on. The freezing temperatures sometimes also cause muscle spasms for me — making me extremely uncomfortable.

Staying warm is pivotal. I've written before about my literal love affair with my heated blanket. I also use the instant heat packs that can go inside your shoes, your pockets, or in your gloves. When I'm warm, I feel less pain and it's easier for me to move around. Again, stretching is something I find helpful here, just to feel a bit more limber and less overall achy.

Pain and stiffness from barometric pressure changes

The biggest challenge for me? When there are gigantic changes in barometric pressure (i.e.: pressure in the atmosphere caused by quick rises or falls in temperature), the weather physically hurts me. These are the days/weeks that I find myself requiring much more physical rest and less movement, which unfortunately contributes to my joint stiffness, pain, and swelling, primarily in my hips, ankles, and knees. This is when sitting cross-legged is no longer an option, as it causes immediate aches and pains and prevents any type of soothing.

Coping with RA during weather changes

Here are some things I do to help myself while living with rheumatoid arthritis in a climate that's constantly changing:

Be aware of the forecast
I don't just check the daily weather, but I check the weekly weather and any updates like storm fronts, cold snaps, or heat waves. I take in this information in planning my regular routines, ensuring that I care for my body as best as possible.

Use clothing to support you
As I mentioned before, in the summer I try to wear lightweight clothing to stay as cool as possible. In the winter, obviously, it's the opposite — I wear warm clothes to keep my body temperature up. Living in a place where the weather can change during the day, I also rely on layering — bringing a sweatshirt, jacket, scarf, and/or gloves.

Get moving
Regardless of the temperatures, I find that gentle stretching once or twice a day helps me to stay a little more limber and able to move around.

How do seasonal changes impact you?

Does the weather impact your RA symptoms? How do you navigate the changes in your body based on the temperature? Share with us in the comments below.