While there’s no consensus among scientists on the exact connection between weather and joint pain, a few theories about the relationship exist. One popular idea is that people with chronic joint pain may be sensitive to barometric pressure changes. Rain typically comes with a drop in barometric pressure, a measure that refers to the air’s weight. Low barometric pressure may irritate sensitive nerves and cause tissues in your body to swell. It makes your muscles, tendons, and any scar tissue contract and expand, creating pain in the joints.
When the temperature drops, your body conserves heat by limiting blood flow to the extremities and pumping more blood to the lungs and heart. This can result in stiffness and pain in the joints. Low temperatures can also thicken the fluid inside your joints, so they feel stiffer and more sensitive to pain.
