Really? The Claim: Fibromyalgia Is Affected by Weather

THE FACTS

No one really knows precisely what causes the debilitating fatigue and muscle pain of fibromyalgia. But some people who have the disorder say they know what can make it worse: changes in the weather.

Cold, damp days and drops in barometric pressure are widely associated with flare-ups in symptoms of the condition, which affects mostly women. In one study by the National Fibromyalgia Association, people with the condition ranked weather changes as one of the leading aggravating influences on pain and stiffness.

Unlike the reported connection between arthritis and changes in temperature and pressure – which has mostly been debunked – the belief that fibromyalgia symptoms fluctuate with the weather has not been the subject of thorough research. The few studies that have investigated it have mostly found little evidence of a link.

In the latest report, published this month in the journal Arthritis Care & Research, Dutch researchers followed 333 middle-aged women who had fibromyalgia, looking for relationships between environmental conditions and their levels of pain and fatigue. Over the course of a month, the researchers monitored humidity levels, atmospheric pressure, precipitation, temperature and sunshine duration, using data from a meteorological institute.

In some cases, they did find that weather variables had “significant but small” effects on pain and fatigue. But for the most part, they concluded, there was “more evidence against than in support of a uniform influence of weather on daily pain and fatigue.”

THE BOTTOM LINE

Most studies have not found much evidence of a link between fibromyalgia symptoms and weather patterns.

However those of us who have it may disagree. 

Smoking with Fibromyalgia

If you smoke and you have fibromyalgia, you may be hurting more than you have to.

I'm not going to preach at you to quit - I know that's just annoying and doesn't do any good - but I do want you to have the information you need to make informed decisions about your health. And we have mounting evidence showing that smoking and other tobacco use makes fibromyalgia symptoms worse.



Do you smoke cigarettes or chew tobacco?

When you have fibromyalgia, tobacco use may have even greater health risks than you thought.

Multiple studies have shown that tobacco use is associated with worse fibromyalgia symptoms. Smoking may also be a risk factor for developing this condition.

The Studies

In 2009, Mayo Clinic researchers published a study that included data from 984 patients, 145 of whom were tobacco users.
Researchers said tobacco use was linked to:

• Greater pain intensity
• Higher scores on the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire
• Fewer good days
• More missed work

Also in 2009, a study published in Rheumatology International found that the following symptoms were more severe in cigarette smokers:

• Chronic widespread pain severity
• Unrestorative sleep
• Paresthesia (odd nerve sensations)
• Anxiety and depression

Those researchers compared smoking rates of fibromyalgia and rheumatoid arthritis patients and found that fibromyalgia patients were more likely to smoke.

A 2011 study involving 336 people with fibromyalgia found that about 10% of participants were current smokers. Researchers concluded that smokers:

• Had more tender points
• Were more likely to be depressed (women only)

The authors called for more research into the impact of smoking on pain, function, and psychiatric features in the illness.

A 2010 study suggested that smoking cigarettes appeared to be linked to the development of fibromyalgia, and that smoking may be a risk factor.

Trying to Quit

Go to one of my links about E-Cigs. as of 2/6/14 I have been smoke free for 3years 2 months and 6 days using an E-Cig. My pain decreased by at least 10%.