However, when you ask what kind of weather affects them most, the answers vary greatly.
So do weather changes have a negative impact or not?
This was a general survey, not one specifically looking for weather-related information.
Tara Moore / Getty Images
When asked what things appeared to make their symptoms worse, 80% of respondents said weather changes.
Weather was the second-most reported worsening factor.
A 2013 study published inArthritis Care & Researchinvolved 333 women with fibromyalgia.
They had the women answer daily questions about their pain and fatigue, then compared them to meteorological data.
In fact, they say that they found roughly the same amount of positive associations as negative ones.
A 2017 analysis of Twitter posts appears to confirm the findings against a standard influence of weather on fibromyalgia.
Interestingly, they found what appeared to be regional differences in what weather factors bothered people.
In California, it was humidity that bothered people.
In New York, it was wind speed.
They concluded that the impact is non-uniform and may vary by region or by individual.
Just about everythingincluding medications, supplements,food, andexerciseis highly individual for people with fibromyalgia.
Also, overlapping pain conditions are common and may have their own relationship with the weather.
One theory involves barometric pressure changes.
)Rising air leads to low pressure while sinking air leads to high pressure.
Falls in barometric pressure cause tissues (muscles, tendons, ligaments, etc.)
Any expansion inside the body, where space is limited, might lead to pain in sensitive areas.
In people with arthritis, the joints hurt.
In people with migraine, the head hurts.
In people with fibromyalgia, anything and everything may hurt.
Can you do something to lessen the impact?
If humidity bothers you, a dehumidifier may help, but only when youre at home.
Theres no easy solution there.
Certainly, if the climate you live in seems inhospitable, it could seem appealing to move somewhere else.
The problem is that you wont know howthatclimate impacts you until youve spent considerable time there.
It may be that its too big a gamble for such a drastic measure.
Fibromyalgia flares feel different for different people.
Common descriptions include:
That depends on what bothers you.
Some people with fibromyalgia are sensitive to heat, cold, or both while others arent.
Some notice heightened symptoms due to certain weather patterns while others dont.
Be cautious until you know how the sun and heat affect you.
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