Fall is here. Like it or not, winter is on the way! The lowering temps will not only affect what you wear from now until spring, but also how you feel.
Do your joints hurt when a storm is coming or when the temperature drops in the winter? If so, your favorite chiropractic office in Vancouver WA wants to let you know that you can thank the change in barometric pressure!
You might not realize it, but the weather’s impact on your body is so real that there is a whole scientific study devoted to it called biometeorology. This field of study focuses on how and why the weather impacts the health of animals, plants, and humans. From changing symptoms of existing diseases, contributing to new conditions, and prompting temporary physiological changes inside your body, the weather’s effect on your health is far-reaching.
Whether your knees hurt when it rains or your wrists are in agony during the bitter cold, changes in the weather can be a real pain in the neck! If you ask someone who suffers from arthritis, they will likely tell you that their symptoms are amplified when the weather changes.
This is due to that pesky barometric pressure, which can cause the expansion and contraction of tendons, muscles, bones, and scar tissues, resulting in pain in the tissues that are affected by arthritis. Low temperatures may also increase the thickness of joint fluids, making them stiffer and perhaps more sensitive to pain during movement.
Another pain that the weather can cause is something that most people have experienced at one point or another. The impending change in temperature might create more instances of headaches and migraines. Cold weather can cause blood vessels to quickly narrow, reducing the flow of blood and leading to a migraine. They can occur due to things like extreme cold, sun glare, and stormy weather.
Family and Sports Chiropractic Clinic recommends keeping tabs on your headaches and determining if there are any weather-related triggers that might be causing them so you can do your best to avoid them in the future.
So just what can you do to avoid these aches and pains this fall and winter?
Be aware that colder weather can lead to stiffness and increased chance of injury, especially if you are someone who does not get out and move regularly. Here are a few activities to help you keep your muscles from aching due to the temptation to stay on the couch all winter:
- Take up a daily workout
- Regularly do your chores
- Find a bit of manual type labor, such as rearranging furniture or cleaning the garage
- Go on a brisk walk
- Shovel snow or better yet, play outside in it with your children
- Go ice skating
- Go to the mall
- Or anything else to keep active and busy
Another very important thing you can do to avoid pain is to make sure that you pay attention to your nutrition.
Foods that are high in sugar or fat can lead to you feeling sluggish and tired, two things that can make pain worse. It is also a good idea to eat more fruits, vegetables, and lean protein. Consuming too many grains can cause inflammation, which can lead to pain.
Scientists don’t know for sure why changes in weather can make some people hurt, or why it affects some people more than others. That said, if the weather is regularly causing your to experience pain, it is a good idea to seek help in managing it!
At Family and Sports Chiropractic Clinic, we are happy to help you come up with a plan so that the changing of seasons don’t leave you held hostage to your pain.
Contact us today to schedule your free initial consultation, where we will discuss your pain history and determine how we can be beneficial to your quality of life. We will ask you questions about your pain triggers and how you currently manage them. Using this information, we will create an individualized chiropractic plan in Vancouver WA just for you!