![]() Having reviewed the studies, I find myself not knowing how to answer my patients who ask me why their symptoms reliably worsen when the weather is damp or rain is coming, or when some other weather event happens. Even if we could precisely identify what about weather affects arthritis pain and stiffness, we're still not sure why - biologically speaking - weather should have any impact on joint symptoms. There are many potential factors - humidity, temperature, precipitation, and barometric pressure among them. There have even been attempts to artificially vary environmental conditions to mimic weather changes, such as placing arthritis sufferers in barometric chambers and varying the pressure up and down.ĭespite this, we still don't know whether it is one particular feature of the weather or a combination of features that matters. Other studies found just the opposite - that falling pressure could provoke joint pain or stiffness. Some suggest that the key variable is rising barometric pressure. Past studies examining the effect of rain, humidity, and other weather-related factors on symptoms of arthritis have been inconclusive, and in some cases, contradictory. But that's not keeping researchers from trying to understand it better. If it's true that the weather can worsen arthritis pain, how does that work? Is there any scientific evidence to explain it? People have been asking these questions for many years without finding good answers. To download the app, click here.If you have arthritis, you may have noticed that the weather affects your symptoms. Because AccuWeather provides forecasts and weather conditions around the world, it can be used anywhere. Weather Flare is not just for people in the UK. When I downloaded the app, it was unable to recognize my location despite repeated attempts. The app is still in beta stage – meaning the developers are still working out some technical issues. If it just makes 1% of difference to someone’s day, then I’ve achieved what I set out to do.” ![]() “We’re incredibly excited to have the University of Sussex onboard to assist us with further developments for our app, making Weather Flare even more supportive for sufferers,” says Richtor. “The positive thing about me just having this crazy idea in my head, is that I can help other people manage their own conditions. For example, people with psoriasis who take methotrexate can be sensitive to prolonged sunlight. He’s also working with a professor at the University of Sussex to develop a database to warn of drug interactions caused by the weather. Richtor says people with asthma, allergies and other health conditions can benefit from knowing about weather conditions such as air quality and pollen counts. Weather Flare is not just for pain sufferers. Richtor is currently holding a Crowdfunding campaign to raise money for further upgrades to the Weather Flare app. The app “learns” from user input and develops a customized forecast to help people prepare for changes in their symptoms. Users create a personal profile of their conditions, medications and symptoms, which are then compared to weather conditions provided by AccuWeather. That’s the inspiration behind Weather Flare, a free health app designed to help people with chronic pain anticipate changes in the weather and their pain levels. ![]() “Most people I know in this field have been like, ‘Why hasn’t anyone done this before?’” “I’ve done extensive research into it, and can’t see those two things matching up,” Richtor told PNN. Why not create an app that gives users a personalized pain forecast? Many apps track the weather and some keep track of pain levels, but there were no apps that married the two. The study not only gave credibility to a link between weather and pain, it gave Richtor an idea. The study found a modest association between weather and pain, with people more likely to feel muscle aches and joint pain on days with low barometric pressure – and the wet and windy weather that usually comes with it. The GPS location of their phones was then compared to local weather conditions. Richtor was intrigued by a recent University of Manchester study called Cloudy With a Chance of Pain, which analyzed data from over 10,000 UK residents who recorded their daily pain levels on a smartphone app. I’m getting a headache.’”įeeling “under the weather” is more than just family folklore. “My grandma used to know when a storm was coming 20 minutes before it happened. When I’m waking up and stiff, there’s obviously been in the night a temperature change. “I’ve always just been stiffer and slower on grey days,” says Richtor, who lives in the seaside city of Brighton, south of London. Like many people who live with arthritis, Dave Richtor noticed that cold and wet weather made his joints ache more than usual.
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