Fibromyalgia-Weather Related Symptoms

Can a Change in Climate Really Affect Your Fibromyalgia?

Many fibromyalgia patients claim that changes in the weather directly affect their symptoms.

Most fibromyalgia sufferers claim that they experience changes in:

  • Fatigue
  • Sleep patterns
  • Headaches
  • Muscle pain
  • Number of symptom flare ups

In fact, a significant number of fibromyalgia syndrome (FM) sufferers claim that their symptoms vary according to temperature changes, changes in air pressure, and changes in precipitation in their part of their world.

Who is Affected by Weather Changes?

Fibromyalgia (FM) Sufferers and Others May Benefit Greatly from a Simple Change in Climate

According to one study, a large percentage of fibromyalgia sufferers may actually be sensitive to changes in the weather.

In this particular study, 90% of patients claimed that weather was one of the most important influences on their fibromyalgia symptoms. And fibromyalgia sufferers aren’t the only ones to experience weather-related symptoms.

Weather Factors that Affect Fibromyalgia (FMS) Sufferers

There are five major weather factors that appear to affect fibromyalgia symptoms. These include:

Temperature

Rapid changes in temperature may either trigger a fibromyalgia flare-up, or help to ease fibromyalgia pain. Cold weather tends to make fibromyalgia symptoms worse, while warmer weather can provide welcome relief from troublesome symptoms.

Barometric Pressure

Barometric pressure is a measurement of the weight of the air surrounding us. On beautiful sunny days, barometric pressure will be higher, but during a storm or similar weather front, barometric pressure will suddenly drop. These barometric pressure changes can trigger muscle aches and pains in fibromyalgia syndrome (FM) sufferers.

Humidity

Absolute humidity is a measurement of the amount of water vapor present in each unit of air. When humidity is low, fibromyalgia sufferers often report headaches, stiffness, and widespread pain.

Precipitation

Precipitation refers to any type of water that falls to the ground from the sky, including rain, sleet, snow, or hail. Often accompanied by a change in barometric pressure, precipitation may exacerbate fibromyalgia pain and fatigue.

Wind

Whether it’s a light breeze or a gale-force, wind generally causes a decrease in barometric pressure. This means that wind can trigger fatigue, headaches, and muscle aches in fibromyalgia sufferers.