Winter and Pain

Do you know bad weather is coming because your pain reacts differently? You’re not alone.

People with chronic pain find that their joint and other chronic pain can worse during cold weather. Whether you have arthritis or inflammation problems, the cold can worsen your symptoms. There could be many reasons for increased pain during winter months, and it’s important to find ways to reduce your chronic pain during cold weather and stay active.

During cold weather season, blood flow can lessen, which can cause pain in your extremities. It’s also pretty common not to be as physically active during colder months. This can derail a pain management routine. So, understanding what triggers your pain symptoms is an important step in managing your condition during the winter months. Once you understand your triggers, including cold weather, your pain specialist can help you build a plan to manage your worsening symptoms.

Here are a few tips to reduce chronic pain during cold weather:

Stay physically active: During cold weather, it’s easy to be less active. Staying inside and becoming less active can be tempting. But, it’s important to keep active, even if that means just getting up and moving during work (or commercial) breaks. It can also be helpful to get encouragement and support from friends or family to help maintain physical activity levels, despite the cold.

Dress warmly: Make sure you are dressing warmly for cold weather. Keeping warm is essential to protecting your skin and joints from the elements.

Be sure to stretch: If you are able, getting in some stretches, or even yoga, will help keep you limber and active. Try a short stretch in the morning or before bed to help you reduce your chronic pain symptoms in winter months.

Stay motivated: It can be difficult to maintain your energy levels during the winter months. It’s important to keep up your motivation in winter. If you feel this is wavering, or your mental or emotional health may be suffering because of that, it’s important to speak with a counselor.

Managing chronic pain is important year-round, but particularly difficult in the winter months. Hopefully applying a few of these tips will help you control the pain in the coldest weather. But, if your symptoms get worse, be sure to speak with your doctor.