Many people complain of discomfort when severe temperature fluctuations occur due to the weather. About a third of all Germans struggle with environmental influences and climatic conditions. Sensitivity to the weather is the term for diseases and complaints that are caused by strong temperature fluctuations and corresponding climatic conditions.
What is weather sensitivity?
Sensitivity to the weather is sometimes noticeable through physical complaints such as headaches, joint pains and body aches. The circulation fluctuates and the blood pressure changes greatly. In principle, these are adjustment difficulties of the respective person after a change in the weather. For leber congenital amaurosis meanings, please visit whicheverhealth.com.
The body can only slowly get used to the changed weather conditions. The resulting complaints are of different nature. Headaches and pressure, migraine attacks, insomnia, joint and muscle pain and an irritable or depressed mood occur. There is no direct disease underlying the symptoms.
Weather sensitivity is not to be confused with weather sensitivity. With this predisposition, in turn, the affected person has a chronic disease. Symptoms worsen up to two days before a weather change and improve two to three days after the weather change. Symptoms can occur here that are also typical of weather sensitivity.
Causes
The sometimes painful reaction to changing climate conditions can be caused by various weather conditions. This includes all extreme weather conditions with increased humidity.
That is muggy, warm air in summer and spring and wet and cold conditions in autumn and winter. The high degree of humidity is decisive. On the other hand, extreme heat of more than thirty degrees or severe cold below zero degrees does not necessarily lead to complaints if the humidity is low. On the one hand, individual genetic predispositions and individual underlying diseases are one of the reasons for sensitivity to the weather.
In addition, the fact that many people work in air-conditioned rooms is not insignificant. A rapid natural adaptation to the weather stimuli is not possible at all. It has been proven that people who spend the whole day in the fresh air, such as construction workers, gardeners and forest workers, street sweepers or people with similar jobs, react much less violently to weather changes.
Symptoms, Ailments & Signs
The signs of weather sensitivity vary. Most patients are affected who have other underlying diseases. These include primarily rheumatism patients and heart patients. They suffer when the weather changes. A drop in temperature or rain are the triggers. Young people are affected much less frequently than older people. Signs appear primarily in the elderly.
The most common symptoms concern the head. Patients usually complain of headaches and migraines. In addition, there are problems concentrating. Dizziness is also possible. The psyche suffers. Men and women are listless and depressed. Life seems monotonous and grey. Even small irregularities make you irritated.
The effects also become apparent at night: those affected cannot fall asleep, which worsens the disease the following day. Circulatory problems are then possible. In addition, there are also physical symptoms: Individual limbs such as the legs hurt. Sometimes patients report that long-healed bones and scars hurt.
The level of sensitivity varies. Some people only suffer for one to three days. For others, the illness lasts as long as the new weather conditions prevail. If you travel to a region with different climatic conditions, the symptoms regularly disappear.
Diagnosis & History
Cool rain showers alternate with warm and muggy temperatures and that within a very short time. Many people react to these different climatic conditions with headaches and body aches, a circulatory system that goes haywire or similar complaints.
Our nervous system and brain react directly to environmental influences. Moisture in particular causes problems for the human body. The mood changes, the nerves are blank and the whole quality of life can decrease. Weather sensitivity symptoms appear between 24 and 48 hours before a weather change. The affected person “feels” the upcoming weather and reacts accordingly.
This can manifest itself in foehn headaches in cold air or foehn weather, angina pectoris in persistent bad weather or cold Atlantic air, altered blood pressure in warm, humid weather and high cold air, cardiovascular problems in the center of a low-pressure area, cramps or colic in cold Atlantic air, Irritability, aggression and lack of concentration in cold air and hair dryers.
Joint pain and rheumatism as well as old broken bones become noticeable in wet and cold bad weather. Sleep disorders often show up in windy weather or when there is a general change in the general weather situation.
Complications
Pronounced weather sensitivity can cause various physical and mental problems. Sleep disorders and mood swings are typical of sensitivity to the weather – symptoms that have a negative effect on well-being and sometimes have lasting consequences in the event of frequent or particularly intense weather changes.
Existing rheumatic diseases and joint diseases often worsen when the weather changes suddenly and then cause severe pain that often persists for several days. Serious complications can occur if the sufferer suddenly feels dizzy and falls. Cramps, lack of concentration and sudden headaches also increase the risk of accidents in everyday life and at work.
People with weather sensitivity sometimes also develop mental illnesses. It can lead to depressive moods, but also to pronounced depression and anxiety disorders. Weather sensitivity is treated by natural measures and therefore does not involve any major risks.
However, certain applications such as acupuncture or homeopathic remedies can cause symptoms. Acupuncture can lead to infections and, rarely, to injuries to larger blood vessels. Natural remedies can cause headaches and gastrointestinal problems if used incorrectly, and serious allergic reactions can occasionally occur.
When should you go to the doctor?
If you are sensitive to the weather, you will not normally need a doctor. This is a temporary phenomenon that requires no further action. In addition, it is not a disease in its own right that requires medical intervention. There is no treatment for the sensations. Rather, the causes of the perceptions must be considered.
Weather sensitivity can be seen in many people who have suffered from various medical conditions in the past and are still experiencing after-effects. The person concerned should develop a way of dealing with the arising irregularities that is helpful for him. Everyone finds different strategies for coping with the sensations. A doctor should only be consulted if there are other health problems in addition to weather sensitivity.
In very rare cases, other factors may be present that should be further investigated or monitored by a doctor. If, despite all efforts, no alleviation of the symptoms is experienced, it must be checked whether a therapeutic treatment measure should be used. A doctor is therefore needed if long-term suffering is experienced, the quality of life is permanently reduced and no coping mechanisms are shown on one’s own initiative that would lead to an improvement in the situation. In addition, regular check-ups with a doctor are recommended.
Treatment & Therapy
Eating a healthy diet, drinking a lot, exercising in the fresh air, regular visits to the sauna, Kneipp treatments or outdoor sports are all ways to help prevent sensitivity to the weather. These measures can be very helpful, the immune system is trained and strengthened and the body practices adapting to the changing climatic conditions.
If the pain is noticeable despite everything, there are numerous home remedies. Contrast baths with rosemary oil or contrast showers help against slackness. Drinking a lot is essential, fruit, vegetables and healthy foods are part of the menu. Those who are sensitive to the weather should largely avoid stimulants. Alcohol, nicotine and coffee are often contributory causes of headaches and can make the symptoms worse.
It is important to have a regular daily routine, going to bed, getting up and eating at the same time if possible. If the impairment caused by weather sensitivity is too severe and affects daily life, a doctor should definitely be consulted. Homeopathic remedies or acupuncture are helpful applications. Studies have shown that this Chinese healing art can reduce symptoms.
Prevention
Anyone who wants to prevent sensitivity to the weather should exercise regularly in the fresh air. Going for a walk, walking, jogging, outdoor gymnastic exercises and cycling are options that can be accommodated in everyday life.
In addition to physical activity, there are recommendations not to dress too thickly, but also not to freeze when exercising. The clothing should always be adapted to the weather of the respective season. Getting enough sleep and eating plenty of vegetables and fruit can help keep weather sensitivity under control.
Follow-up care for weather sensitivity is not useful and ultimately not possible. In the case of complaints based on weather changes, only precautionary measures would be helpful. However, even here the possibilities are limited. The weather cannot be predicted with absolute certainty, long-term stable weather conditions are also rare. As a result, there can be no preventive or follow-up care if you tend to be sensitive to the weather.
Aftercare
The affected person can still visit the doctor to have medication prescribed to alleviate the symptoms. Such medicine is often herbal. There are also a variety of weather-related complaints. A person who is sensitive to the weather feels the symptoms differently in every weather situation.
If he suffers from migraines during warm fronts, the doctor can prescribe appropriate painkillers. He can also advise him to adjust to the hypersensitivity appropriately so that it does not have a negative impact on the quality of life. If the sensitivity to the weather is an unusual burden for those affected and leads to frequent sick leave, the administration of stronger medication is advisable.
Medical follow-up care can be taken here by letting the patient be informed about the effects of the medicine. If side effects occur, the person concerned speaks to their family doctor as part of the aftercare. There, the interactions are treated under medical supervision.
You can do that yourself
Sensitivity to the weather has developed into a kind of civilization disease: Many complain of headaches, dizziness and also insomnia. Others are particularly troubled by crippling body aches. There are some useful home remedies that can usually be used to quickly dispel annoying weather problems.
If the circulation is weakened, a so-called “arm bath” can help to give it new impetus. To do this, run cold water, preferably into the sink, and then immerse both arms up to the middle of the upper arm. Move your arms back and forth a little, take them out after about 30 seconds and dry them off. Another home remedy comes from Ayurvedic medicine that provides the body with an energy boost in the morning: Boil a quarter of a liter of water and drink it in small sips. Hydration and heat have an invigorating effect.
If those affected sometimes have black eyes when the weather changes, they should use medicinal drops containing false myrtle and yellow jasmine as homeopathic components. At the same time, it is advisable to drink a lot. If those affected feel nauseous, this can be counteracted with an apple spritzer – the carbonic acid stimulates the circulation, while the fructose in the juice stimulates blood sugar. Walking outdoors also acts as a circulatory booster. In the case of sleep disturbances due to weather changes, herbal remedies with valerian promote a restful night.
