Weather affecting Rheumatoid Arthritis

RedPanda
RedPanda Member Posts: 9
edited 3. Jun 2025, 17:23 in Living with arthritis

Hi all,

I've have RA for about 15 years so know my triggers pretty well. This time of year though I always get bad flares and it seems to be either when it's stormy, windy, humid. Does anyone else find this? And if so any advice on how to help?

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  • Naomi33
    Naomi33 Moderator Posts: 556

    Morning @RedPanda

    Funny you should say this after last weeks stormy windy wet weather. I to had flare up and had to rest up thought I had caught a chill. I just rested and started moving again now a bit milder 🙌

    Need more help? - call our Helpline on 0800 5200 520 Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm


  • Arciere
    Arciere Member Posts: 122

    Hi @RedPanda

    Yes, although more in the winter. When I’m feeling inflamed through stress, diet or other factors I feel more sensitive to the weather, especially barometric pressure.

  • mucho_pain33
    mucho_pain33 Member Posts: 6

    No. If weather affects it then it's not RA. It's something else. RA eats away at your joints come hail rain or shine. It is not affected by certain weather conditions.

  • Arciere
    Arciere Member Posts: 122

    Well, while RA and PsA are different rheumatic flavours , I guess everyone’s experience with these diseases can be deeply personal and valid.

    As someone living with psoriatic arthritis and enthesitis, I can say from experience that changes in weather absolutely do affect my symptoms. Cold, damp, humid or rapidly changing weather tends to increase my pain, stiffness, and fatigue.

    My PsA in particular can behave very unpredictably and enthesitis (inflammation where tendons and ligaments attach to bone) can be especially sensitive to environmental triggers, including weather, in my anecdotal opinion.

  • frogmorton
    frogmorton Member Posts: 30,384

    Weather does affect arthritis https://www.cloudywithachanceofpain.com/

    Have a read of that.

    Having said that I feel more the osteoarthritis when it comes to wet/colder weather.

    My inflammatory arthritis is more likely to play up for me when it's allergy season. Like now!

    Toni

  • Airwave!
    Airwave! Member Posts: 2,482

    I took part in the ‘Cloudy with a chance of pain’ research which confirmed the underlying link between weather pressure and OA. Your joints gap between the bones are at a lower pressure than the surrounding air and as the weather pressure changes from low to high and back so the pressure exerted on the joint changes. Any irregularities in the joint will amplify the issue.

    Mind you, look out of the window on a wet and windy day and we all feel down!

    It’s a grin, honest!

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