Why are you feeling under the weather? Scientists say it is because weather changes trigger some illnesses and make the existing pain worse. Many people, especially the elderly notice that when the weather turns sour, some illnesses and soreness present. This is also especially common with patients of chronic diseases, such as arthritis. Hence, it is common for these patients to use the upcoming pain as an indication of either potential rain or storm. Thus, if you are suffering from broken bone, bad weather, especially the cold, might cause the pain to be more intense.

How weather affects broken bone

Although grandma’s prediction about rain when her sprained or fractured ankle starts to hurt is ninety percent true, scientists have not found any evidence-based reasons as to how it is possible. Despite this, there are still some theories that are believed as the most possible causes for intensifying pain around a broken bone site during bad weather.

• The most popular theory is about the sudden and excessive changes in the air pressure. It is believed that the barometric pressure—the weight of atmosphere surrounding us—is the main trigger that causes more intense pain on the broken bone area during cold weather. Our body is often pictured as a balloon, and high barometric pressure prevent against the body keeps it from expanding. A quite different thing happens when bad weather initially sets in. this barometric pressure drops and thus, allowing tissues to expand. Those expanded tissues put pressure on the joint, causing tingling sensation and flare up around the broken bone area.
• Severe pain that comes with bad weather during broken bone healing time is also caused by the fact that during the healing process, the nerve endings become a lot more sensitive than they were previously. Fractures, inflammation, scarring, or adhesions have a big role influencing the nerve sensitivity. When the tissues are pushed against the body during cold weather, although microscopic, can be fully felt and thus, give painful effects to the injury.
• Altitude also plays an important role to this caused pain and hence, people living in higher surfaces with more extreme climate changes tend to suffer from the pain more badly. This is also caused by the fact that in higher altitude, the pressure drops and thus, our body expands. As a result, your broken bone tends to be more painful and swelling more badly when you are having a good time on a peaceful mountain and other high altitude places on snowy or stormy days.

What can be done to alleviate the pain?

• Stay warm. This is the easiest yet the most effective way you can do to relieve pain caused by temperature drops. To stay warm, keep your house heated, warming the clothes before wearing them, and sleep under an electric blanket. These will keep your broken bone site warm and thus, alleviate the pain.
• Do light exercises. If light movements will not likely to make the broken bone worse, it is essential to do some light exercises during bad weather. However, avoid doing too active exercises that may aggravate the broken bone site, as it may cause worse inflammation.
• Improve the mood. People with chronic diseases might be anxious, depressed, and irritable, making the caused pain even worse. It is, thus important to improve your mood, so that the brain can get rid of bad sensations you might feel during bad weather. Improving your sleep quality, doing something fun, and pacing yourself are beneficial not only for improving your healing, but also putting unnecessary sensations away.