How to Get Rid of Joint Pain in Winter?

Winters can be cold and brutal because it carries along a lot of pain. Whether it is pain in the shoulders or stiffness in the fingers, we have all been victims of this discomfort during winters. Joint pain in winter is normal to people suffering from arthritis. While everyone immediately looks for quick relief from this pain, it is important to understand joint pain causes our sore joints to get stiff. Once you know this, you will know how to protect yourself from the frosty, chilly weather outside.  

Sore Joint Pain Causes in Winter

Sore joint pain causes can be attributed to various factors, including inflammation, injury, or underlying medical conditions. There are several joint pain cause in the winter, including: 

• Muscle spasms: The cold temperatures in the air causes the muscles surrounding the bones and joints to constantly contract to generate more heat. This leads to the stiffening of the muscles around the joints, which causes pain in the joints.

• Sensitive pain receptors: Most pain receptors are concentrated in the skin and the muscles immediately under the skin. In cold temperatures, sensitivity towards these receptors increases. This can induce more pain around the arms and legs and causes joint pain in winter.

• Muscles expand due to a drop in barometric pressure: When the temperatures drop, so does the pressure in our surroundings. One theory states that this drop in atmospheric pressure can cause the muscles to expand around the bones and joints. Since there is very limited space around the achy bones, this expansion in muscles causes stretching of the muscles leading to the pain we feel. This is especially agonizing in people who suffer from arthritis.

• Restricted blood flow: A drop in atmospheric pressure lowers the blood flow rate in the vessels. This restricted blood flow reduces the content of blood reaching different parts of the body; hence, because there is no proper blood flow, the fingers, knees, and ankles are most affected. The pressure drop also contracts blood vessels, further restricting the movement of blood flow.

• Body conserves heat: A natural reflex of the body during cold temperatures is to conserve as much heat as possible to withstand the cold outside. This is done by limiting the blood flow to less important body areas. During winters, our body sends more blood to the body's midsection- the heart, lungs, liver, and brain, and limits the blood flow to the limbs and joints. The sore joints feel more pain with less blood to the joints and no heat that accommodates it.

• Thickening of synovial fluid: The fluid in the cavity between joints is called synovial fluid. This fluid is known to thicken in cold temperatures, and since the fluid is particularly present around the joints of our limbs, the pain in joints we feel is due to a lack of smooth movement around the joints. Learn more about Knee synovits!

• Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): This psychological theory suggests that the winter can affect our mood, which can change our perception of pain. Because cold weather is often associated with gloom and sadness, our perception of pain may be more pronounced to correlate with the pain and sadness in the weather outside. Weather changes, particularly cold and damp conditions, may exacerbate joint soreness in some people.

Adequate rest, gentle exercises, and anti-inflammatory measures are often recommended for managing and alleviating sore joints. Understanding the specific joint pain causes is crucial for effective management and targeted treatment approaches. 

Few Other Joint Pain Causes

Cold weather can cause the joints to stiffen and become painful, as the body's natural response to cold is to constrict blood vessels, which can reduce blood flow to the joints. Humidity levels are often low during the winter months, which can cause the joints to become dry and more susceptible to pain.

• Winter weather can also cause an increase in barometric pressure, which can put extra pressure on the joints.

• Experiencing pain in knuckles can result from activities that strain the hand or underlying joint issues.

• People also tend to be less active, leading to muscle weakness and joint pain in winter.

• Some people also have certain medical conditions, such as arthritis, that are made worse by cold weather.

• Some people may also experience joint pain in winter due to injury or other underlying medical conditions.

• It's important to consult a doctor if you experience joint pain and to keep a healthy lifestyle by exercising, maintaining a balanced diet, and avoiding cold weather if possible. 

Persistent or severe pain in knuckles or achy joints may require consultation with an experienced orthopedic doctor. 

What Research Says About Severe Joint Pain in Cold Weather?

Discovering the reasons behind "why do my joints hurt" involves a careful examination of various factors, including lifestyle, age, and potential medical conditions. It includes reasons for pain in joints:

• The leading theory on weather causing painful joints explores the role of air pressure. Air or barometric pressure is the weight that the atmosphere around places on us. High air pressure pushes against the body and keeps the tissues surrounding the joint from expanding. On the other hand, a drop in air pressure, like just before a storm or cold weather, allows tissues around the joints to swell and irritate the nerves around, which can lead to chronic joint pain.

• There are other studies that link worsening of arthritis pain with other atmospheric conditions like temperature and humidity. Changes in these conditions have also been linked to headaches, sinus, jaw pain, toothaches, pelvic pain, lower back pain, fibromyalgia, etc.

• These theories also support a study by John Hollander that goes as back as 1960s, involving placing rheumatoid arthritis patients in a sealed chamber. A drop in air pressure and an increase in humidity led to an increase in stiffness and swelling of joints that ache in winter.

• Well, there's a third possibility that some researchers believe could connect weather and lead to painful joints, which is mood. Rainy or cold weather tends to make people feel gloomy, which could, in turn, make it more difficult or to bear that painful joints in cold weather.

• Then again, not all scientists agree that winter is the main cause among the joint pain causes, and these are plausible theories.

How do I Get Rid of Severe Joint Pain in the Winter?

Irrespective of what causes joint pain, we all know that joint pain exists and is very painful when temperatures drop extremely low. Here are 7 helpful tips to keep you and your joints warm and comfy during the chilling temperatures. 

• Keep yourself warm: It's a no-brainer. Just as our body strives to maintain heat, we should also find ways to constantly keep the body warm so that cold temperatures do not affect the muscles or blood vessels. You can keep warm by wearing woolen clothes, eating warm foods, and staying around a fire or a heater.

• Warm clothes: woolen and winter clothing is a must in cold temperatures, especially if you're stepping out. Along with this, use thermal compression gloves that trap heat inside them.

• Warm food: Apart from constantly eating "warm" foods such as hot soups and hot drinks, it is important to eat foods that generate heat in the body. Such foods include ginger, garlic, and fish.

• Stay around heaters: If the cold gets too unbearable even with warm clothes, consider staying in a heated room with an electric heater or an indoor fireplace.

• Stay physically active: Be sure to keep yourself active throughout the day. This might be difficult in the cold, but moving around every 20 minutes can help generate heat in the body. It also ensures that the synovial fluid does not thicken due to the constant movement.

• Take supplements: You can take doctor’s prescribed supplements for painful joints in cold weather. This is because our body does not get the required nutrients from the lack of sunlight. Supplements that must be taken are,

• Vitamin D and Calcium: These are essential for the strength and development of bones. 

• Chondroitin and Glucosamine: These nutrients are generally prescribed for arthritic patients but can be taken as a supplement by anyone to strengthen their joints that ache in winter.

• Eat foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids: Foods containing omega-3 oils are known to build heat in the core and keep you warm for longer periods. These foods include mackerel, salmon, sardines, etc. Include these foods in your diet during winter to keep you feeling warm. Check out this post for omega - 3 Capsules!

• Massage: A thorough massage promotes blood flow and relaxes tense muscles. Get a massage at least once a week during winter to protect yourself from the cold. This method can help loosen the synovial fluid around the achy joints and give instant relief from painful joints.

• Using heated mustard oil: Mustard oil is a favorite amongst the Northeast Indians for painful joints. They vouch for this remedy with their life. Not only does mustard oil give heat to the body when consumed, it only keeps the skin and achy joints warm when applied on the skin. Heat a little mustard oil and gently massage your joints.

• Using heated pads: If you do not prefer an oil massage, you can use heating pads that can roll around your achy joints. Heating pads are as effective as hot oil on your skin. So to get relief from painful joints in cold weather, you can use a heating pad.

• Eat a well-balanced meal three times a day: Eating a wholesome meal three times a day ensures your body is not starving or depleted of energy. Eating healthy ensures that the body utilizes energy to digest the food that is eaten and keeps you warm. 

• Stay hydrated: Drinking lots of water keeps your body hydrated and regulates blood flow. Dry cold air makes you dehydrated and can even cause aches and pains. Thus, drinking plenty of water will prevent aches and pains.

The answer of “why do my joints hurt” are the factors such as inflammation, overuse, or underlying health issues that may contribute to joint discomfort.

Conclusion

Cold temperatures can be a pain, but they can be avoided. There are several ways to protect yourself from the extreme cold. Apart from staying indoors and exercising, if you are prone to constant knee pain or are an arthritic patient, massage your achy joints every week to save yourself from further pain in joints that ache from the cold. I hope you can understand about joint pain causes in Winter!

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