More Pain When It Rains

Some people say their aches and pains get worse when it rains. It may be because they are more sensitive to air pressure, but the research is inconclusive

- Akshita Nanda

Dr Jonathan Chong, a family physician at DTAP Clinic @ Novena, often hears patients with joint-related diseases complain about the weather.

"They say they feel a storm coming in their bones and joints," he says.

Some people seem to have more aches and pains on rainy days. Ahead of and during stormy weather, sufferers of arthritis and joint-related diseases report increased discomfort and difficulty moving.

The perceived link between weather and musculoskeletal woes is so strong that multiple studies have looked into this phenomenon. Results have been mixed, depending on the type of musculoskeletal condition studied, as well as the location of the research.

A 2007 study published in The American Journal of Medicine followed 200 people with knee osteoarthritis in the United States for three months. Changes in atmospheric pressure and temperature were found to affect the severity of knee pain experienced by people with this degenerative joint disease.

A 2014 study of nearly 1,000 people in Sydney, Australia, found no link between temperature and atmospheric pressure and onset of lower back pain, though higher wind speed did increase the chances of lower back pain.

The authors of that study, which was published in the journal Arthritis Care & Research, noted that a similar study conducted in places with more extreme weather conditions might have different results.

Indeed, a 2019 study of more than 2,600 people in the United Kingdom over 15 months found clear links between weather and pain in people with conditions such as arthritis. The study was published in NPJ Digital Medicine, under the umbrella of science journal brand Nature, and had people self-report their pain scores via an app.

The researchers found that higher humidity increased pain, as did lower atmospheric pressure, which is associated with rainy weather – and increased wind speed.