Hot Weather & Pain Management Utah
The summer heat is just around the corner here in Utah. For those dealing with chronic pain conditions, these seasonal shifts come with changing symptoms. We’ve experienced that the warmer temperatures can cause certain chronic pain disorders to flare up—seeming worse and more uncomfortable. Hot and humid weather has been linked to aggravated pain in joints and also affect patients with chronic headaches or migraines.
If your noticing increased pain in warmer temperatures, take the next step and schedule an appointment with our physicians. Our patients come to us with a wide range of debilitating pain throughout the seasons. The team of pain doctors are equipped with treatment plans that are designed to relieve you from pain and improve your quality of life! Read on to learn about the link between hot weather and chronic pain.
Chronic pain and heat
Higher levels of pain can be triggered by both heat, changes in barometric pressure and varying levels of humidity. Why is this? Studies have shown that heat and pressure changes in the environment can cause the contraction of muscles, tendons, ligaments and even scar tissue. This often results in increased sensitivity to pain—not exactly the fun summer you were imagining.
Common conditions affected by warm weather
When the seasons change, it takes times for our bodies to adjust. It’s common for patients dealing with chronic pain to struggle to regulate their system with extreme weather changes.
Here are a few conditions that tend to experience increased levels of pain in hot weather:
Arthritis
Headaches
Joint pain
Multiple sclerosis
Other chronic pain conditions
Limit pain and stay cool
Beyond a visit to the doctors there’s a few things you can do to manage your pain this summer. We’ve got some simple tips for not only keeping you cool but also for keeping your pain under control:
Stay hydrated
Wear loose clothing
Apply a cold compress or cold washcloth to painful areas
Avoid long periods in direct sun
Take a swim: this will not only cool you off, but the buoyancy of water can relieve excess pressure on your joints
Pain Management Utah
No matter the season, the staff at Interventional Spine & Pain Management are here to help you fight back against chronic pain. When you visit our physicians we work to get your body back to its very best. We offer safe and effective treatments to help with injuries and pain!
Don’t wait, call today at 801-262-7246
Disclaimer: You should always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified health care provider before beginning any exercise program. The information contained in this article does not constitute medical advice, nor does reading or accessing this information create a patient-provider relationship. Comments that you post will be shared with all visitors to this page. All comments are not governed by HIPAA and you should not post any private health information.