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Study There are no weather related back pain
Many people blame the weather for their back pain. However, researchers have now found out that occurring back pain in no way be triggered by certain weather conditions.
The scientists from the George Institute for Global Health in Australia found in an investigation that back pain is not affected by existing weather conditions. The physicians published the results of their study in the Oxford Journal "Pain Magazine".
Many people complain about strong back pain, especially in certain weather conditions. Physicians have now tried through an investigation to clarify whether the weather can really trigger such pain. (Image: underdogstudios / fotolia.com) The weather has nothing to do with the pain
Are you one of those people who suffer from back pain on humid days and in particularly hot or cold weather? Does your backache increase on rainy days, for example? In such cases, you might be interested in the results of an Australian study: The weather has absolutely nothing to do with your pain.
Why does pain appear stronger in certain weather??
The belief that certain pains are associated with bad weather dates back to Roman times, says author Chris Maher of the George Institute for Global Health. But why are people so prone to be particularly aware of pain on cold and rainy days, even though the pain is present even in mild and sunny weather? The reason for this could be that people remember particularly strongly events that confirm previously existing views, the expert adds.
Researchers are examining nearly 1,350 subjects
For their study, the physicians examined nearly 1,000 subjects with lower back pain. In addition, about 350 participants with arthritis in the knee were examined. In addition, the researchers compared Australian Bureau of Meteorology data on the weather at the time the first patients complained of so-called weather-related pain.
No association between back pain and the weather
The results of the study showed no association between back pain and temperature, humidity, air pressure, wind direction or precipitation. However, higher temperatures slightly increased the likelihood of back pain. However, the magnitude of the increase was not described as clinically relevant, the experts add.
There is no connection between pain and the weather
There was another study by the same research team that had shown a similar result. But most people continued to adamantly claim that adverse weather conditions worsened the symptoms. For this reason, the physicians decided to conduct a study based on data from new patients with lower back pain and osteoarthritis. The results, however, were almost exactly the same. There is absolutely no connection between pain and the weather.
Osteoarthritis and back pain are widespread
Back pain is widespread around the world. Up to a third of the world's population suffers from back pain at any given time, explain the physicians. In addition, nearly ten percent of men and 18 percent of women over the age of 60 have osteoarthritis.
Patients should focus on managing and preventing pain
When people suffer from one of these conditions, they should not focus on the weather. The weather has no major impact on the symptoms and it can not be influenced anyway, says Professor Manuela Ferreira of the George Institute for Global Health. Much more important is to focus on the management and prevention of pain. (As)