Why Do My Joints Ache When It Gets Cold?
Have you ever heard someone predict storms or cold weather because they could “feel it in their bones”? Well, it turns out this phenomenon is totally a real thing. Maybe you even experienced it yourself when winter rolls around.
However, there are a couple common misconceptions about this situation. First, it is not your bones you are feeling (usually), but your joints. Second, it is often more than “just a feeling.” It can actually be quite painful.
There is still debate among experts as to why cold temperatures cause pain. But below are the most widely accepted explanations, as well as a few tips to help relieve that pain.
Why does cold cause joint pain?
Changes in barometric pressure
Barometric pressure refers to the pressure in the air surrounding a space. Also called atmospheric pressure, it tends to change as the temperature changes. As the weather turns cold, barometric pressure drops. The decrease in pressure allows the tissues in your body to expand. This expansion can compress your joints, making it painful to move and flex them.
Thickening of joint fluid
Each joint in your body contains a substance called synovial fluid. Synovial fluid helps absorb shocks and lubricate joints, allowing them to function smoothly.
Some researchers believe that cold weather can cause synovial fluid to thicken, like water turns into slush and ice. When the fluid thickens, it is not able to move as freely within the joint. As a result, the joint freezes up, causing pain and reduced mobility.
Lack of physical activity
Regular activity and exercise are some of the best ways to reduce joint pain. However, many people tend to stay indoors more and be less active when it gets cold.
Lack of physical activity can cause weakening of the muscles and bones. When this happens, your joints have a harder time moving because they rely on your muscles and bones to function. As your joints struggle harder, they may experience accelerated wear and inflammation.
Additionally, some of the coldest months align with several major holidays for many people. It is all too common to gain some weight during this time due to large meals and holiday treats. This means your already weakened, inactive joints have to support extra weight, placing even more stress on them.
With all this going on, you may very well find yourself suffering from painful, frozen joints.
Emotional changes
As we have discussed before, colder days and longer nights can have a very real affect on your mood. Some people just experience a brief case of anxiety called “the winter blues.” Others may end up suffering from seasonal affective disorder, which is a form of clinical depression.
Studies have shown that your body’s chemical response to anxiety or depression may also increase sensitivity to pain. As a result, feeling depressed when it’s cold out can amplify your joint pain.
Additionally, you are less likely to want to get up and do things when you are in a sad or depressed mood. The more you sit around with nothing to distract you, the more likely you are to focus on your pain, intensifying your symptoms still further.
How to prevent joint pain when it’s cold
If you are among the many people whose joints freeze up and hurt when it gets cold out, you have some options to help find relief.
Stay warm
We’re talking about joint pain when it’s cold out, so naturally the first thing you should do is make sure you stay warm.
If you are staying in the house, consider the following tips:
- Move around – Staying active keeps your blood flowing around your body, keeping you warmer.
- Use a blanket – If you are not moving around much, draping a blanket over your body keeps the heat in. It’s what they are made for.
- Control your climate – Keep the furnace in your home set to a comfortable temperature.
- Wear layers – It’s not summer anymore. Throw a sweater on over your t-shirt and wear some sweatpants, possibly with leggings or long underwear beneath.
- Don’t go barefoot – Your extremities are the first thing to lose heat when you get cold, so don’t leave your feet exposed. Wear a pair of slippers or some comfy wool socks around the house.
If you go outside in the cold:
- Dress appropriately – Wear multiple layers and minimize the amount of your skin that is exposed to the cold.
- Wear a wind/waterproof jacket – Your body loses heat significantly faster when it is wet, even more so if it’s windy, so wear a jacket that is windproof and waterproof if it is raining or snowing.
- Wear a hat – Though the old tale that you lose 80% of your body heat through your head is a myth, heat still definitely escapes through your head if exposed. Wearing a hat blocks off one more escape route for your precious body heat.
Stay active
Do what you can to keep yourself moving and getting exercise. It can be easy to get a bit lethargic during winter. But physical activity helps to reduce joint pain and keep them flexible.
Activity and exercise also keep your muscles and bones strong, allowing them to better support your body and making it easier for your joints to do their job. This will help keep your joints from wearing down, preventing the onset of pain.
If the weather allows, bundle up and go for a walk. You’ll get your exercise while also enjoying some fresh air and avoiding the cabin fever that can sometimes set in when the thermometer drops.
Even if it is too cold to get outside, there are plenty of exercises you can do in your own home to keep up your strength. Try low-impact activities such as yoga, Pilates, stretching, strength training with light weights or just your own body weight, and core workouts.
Stay hydrated
It is so much easier and more obvious to drink water during the hot, sunny days of summer when we’re moving and sweating more. When it gets colder and darker, our bodies don’t always feel the need to drink quite as much or as regularly.
This would be a mistake, though. Drinking plenty of water is a year-round task. Water keeps your joints lubricated and flushes out toxins that can cause inflammation.
But as you become dehydrated, your body will pull water from anywhere it can find it and redistribute it to the most important areas. Joint cartilage has a lot of water and is one of the first body parts to have it taken away. When this happens, your joints can’t move as easily will often stiffen up. Additionally, the sudden lack of water allows more of those toxins to remain, causing inflammation and further pain.
Make sure you’re always getting your recommended daily does of water, even when it’s cold!
Stay happy
As discussed, it’s easy to start feeling down when it gets cold. And when you start feeling down, your chronic pain often starts flaring up.
Surround yourself with family and friends often. Dive into a favorite hobby or find a brand new one!
Eat healthy, exercise regularly, and get good sleep. Not only does keeping up with your physical health work wonders for your emotional wellbeing, but you get to enjoy the added benefits that come with healthy habits.
Focus on the beauty of winter, not cold, painful joints
Nobody can change the weather, but you can change your habits to better cope when the weather turns chilly. And while there is no guarantee that you will be able to eliminate your pain entirely, at least you know how you can manage your pain more effectively and enjoy all the beauties of winter.
You are now ready to face the cold without fear of chronic pain flareups! Go out and have some wintery fun!
Pain management at Twin Cities Pain Clinic
If you continue to deal with chronic pain issues, even after following all our recommendations, we can help. Schedule an appointment with the pain management experts at Twin Cities Pain Clinic and let us help you find joint relief.
Call: 952-841-2345
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The contents of this article are intended for informational and educational purposes only and are not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always consult with a physician or other qualified healthcare provider before engaging in any action or decision-making based on the content of this article. Never disregard or delay seeking professional medical advice or treatment because of the content of this article or any other content on the Twin Cities Pain Clinic website. Reliance on any information conveyed on the Twin Cities Pain Clinic website without direct consultation with a healthcare professional is solely at your own risk.
Sources
- “Cold Weather and Body Ache: Cardio Metabolic Institute: Multi-Specialty Group.” Www.cminj.com, www.cminj.com/blog/cold-weather-and-body-ache
- Davis, Susan. “Do We Lose Heat through Our Heads?” WebMD, www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/features/do-we-really-lose-most-of-our-heat-through-our-heads#:~:text=A%3A%20Lots%20of%20people%20believe
- “It’s Cold Outside! Do Your Joints Hurt?” Www.uchicagomedicine.org, www.uchicagomedicine.org/forefront/prevention-and-screening-articles/its-cold-outside-do-your-joints-hurt
- kconvery. “How Cold Weather Impacts Joint Pain.” Harvard Pilgrim Health Care – HaPi Guide, 26 Jan. 2022, www.harvardpilgrim.org/hapiguide/how-cold-weather-impacts-joint-pain
- “OAA Orthopaedic Specialists | Trusted Orthopaedic Specialists in the Lehigh Valley.” Www.oaaortho.com, www.oaaortho.com/blog/does-cold-weather-really-make-your-joint-pain-worse
- “The Effect of Cold Weather on Your Joints: Orthopaedic Institute of Henderson: Orthopedic Surgery, Arthroscopy, & Sports Medicine.” Www.oihnv.com, www.oihnv.com/blog/the-effect-of-cold-weather-on-your-joints
