Fibromyalgia Pain According To The Weather

Published: // Updated: March 14, 2021

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Fibromyalgia pain seems worse in cold weather. Does the weather affect your fibromyalgia pain? For me, it surely does. It is another chilly, rainy day in the Midwest and I feel completely out of sorts.

Fibromyalgia Pain According To The WeatherPin

Cold weather causes more stiffness, aches, and pains. Add in the fatigue, anxiety and brain fog and it makes for a fun day. Even though I am not looking forward to the cold winter weather, I am happy to say good-bye to the heat and humidity of summer.

Hot and humid weather is even less tolerable for me. Hot flashes, excessive sweating, headaches, dizziness, fatigue. I lived in Fort Myers, Florida for three years. Loved the winter, but most of the year, it was too hot for me.

I missed the changing seasons I grew up within Illinois. Didn’t miss the extreme temperatures, pollen, and headaches.

Does Weather Affect Fibromyalgia Symptoms?

There is some dispute over if the weather really affects fibromyalgia symptoms. In fact, there is a recent study that says weather conditions do not affect fibromyalgia pain or fatigue. Really?

I have to disagree. I think weather plays a big role in fibromyalgia symptoms. It is NOT my imagination. In the study I mentioned above the participants had fibromyalgia for 4 years, on average.

According to an Internet survey of more than 2,500 people with fibromyalgia by the National Fibromyalgia Association, weather changes ranked second as an aggravating factor for fibromyalgia symptoms, including pain and fatigue. Most of the participants of survey had fibromyalgia for 10 years.

For me, my symptoms were milder the first few years. As time went on the pain and fatigue became worse, plus I developed more and more symptoms.

Fall Is My Favorite Season

Autumn has always been my favorite time of year. I love the cooler weather and the leaves changing color. It also seems to be a time of reflection. A time to take stock of my life and decide where I need to make changes.

Before fibromyalgia came to rule my life, I loved fall house cleaning. Washing curtains, windows and scrubbing the walls was therapeutic. I would make a list and within a week, everything was done and crossed off the list.

Now, I make my list and know it is going to take at least a month or more. I also know some things may not even get done at all. I have to accept that my house will never be as sparkling clean and well-organized as it used to be.

We have a steady rain now and I am freezing. A cup of chamomile tea and the heating pad are calling my name. Looks like I won’t be checking off anything on my list today.

What about you? Does the weather have an impact on your fibromyalgia symptoms and flare-ups?

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102 thoughts on “Fibromyalgia Pain According To The Weather”

  1. I agree that weather plays a major part on my fibro. Like you, summer is hard on me with sweating and just over all uncomfortable. I seem to be heating up more than the temp outside during the summer. Winter however brings on the pain. Today, I have my everyday pain, only a few days ago I was in the mood to crawl into the corner of the couch and crying from the pain. Spring is pretty, temps are good but the stuff blooming is hard on me with seasonal allergies. I love the fall but I felt that way long before fibro. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
    • Hi Pam. It has been really cold for the past week and I had to go out every day. I plan to spend the rest of today with my heating pad and a blanket. Take Care!

      Reply
  2. I don’t know how anyone can say that this condition is not affected by weather, because the weather rules my life now that I have Fibromyalgia. Heat is unbearable- nausea, dizziness, terrible headaches, fatigue. Cold (Which i have always preferred ) makes me so stiff and achy- the pain can be dibilitating. Rain brings incredible muscle aches. I’d have to agree that fall is my best season. The symptoms are always there, but weather definitely puts every thing in overdrive.

    Reply
  3. I completely agree with this article. I have only been diagnosed with fibromalagia in the last year but have been going to the doctors with all my symptoms getting worse for the last 24years! The weather makes a huge difference to my pain levels and fatigue, in the winter with the cold and the rain i feel like my body is just ready to crumble through pain and in the summer I feel sick and dizzy fatigued all the time.my favourite season is spring, though I love the summer even with my symptoms for the long days.

    Reply
  4. Weather and pain seem to go hand and hand for me, and it sounds like it does for all of you to. We are all victims of this strange thing called fibromyalgia. Limiting our daily abilities. I used to tell people that I just didn’t feel well or that I was sick again, because so many people think that fibromyalgia is all in our heads. But I became labeled a hypercondreact. Even though I could tell others that the weather was changing by the way that I felt. But I have fibromyalgia and the truth is that the weather is a huge part of our problem, we are also more likely to contract the things that make every one else sick ‘flu, colds ‘because we have a disease that causes our immune system to be so week.
    We are not alone, we are experiencing this ‘very real condition ‘ together. If someone asks you “what is wrong with you now”? Be up front with them and tell them that it is part of your fibromyalgia and nothing new just another one of the conditions that make up the fibromyalgia that rages through your body. We are all tired of being judged by those who have no understanding of this disability but think that they know it all.
    If the weather is causing you to cancel your plans with someone, try not to come up with a false exuse. Coming to terms with what you are dealing with is nothing to be ashamed of. There are those times that you have to allow yourself to rest in order to become stronger.
    We learn to pick and choose those moments that we are willing to exhaust ourselves in order to enjoy some of life. With that being said, we also learn to plan for recovery time. Sometimes we may surprise our selves and feel just fine after.
    If you feel a storm coming, prepare your self just in case.
    A tip: Make your bedroom into a little sanctuary that you can turn to, on down days. Brighten your room up with color, books to read, a TV and even mineral salts for a warm bath, as long as you don’t have high blood pressure.
    Remember that you are a beautiful , loving spirit and that you have the rite to enjoy the life that you have been given.
    We can alter our lives to accommodate every one else or we can take care of ourselves and listen to our bodies in order to enjoy the world around us. We can hope that by doing so, life for everyone around us will become more enjoyable, We will feel better, giving ourselves the strength to do more with those that we love.

    Reply
    • Toni, I couldn’t agree with you more. I don’t make excuses anymore either and I am sure that most of my family thought I was a hypochondriac. My health comes first and I don’t really care who likes it or not. Thank you so much for leaving such a wonderful and helpful comment.

      Reply
  5. My pain become severe ONLY in winter weather. SMH. Lets put it this way. I rather give child birth every year then to deal with the pain of the disease. If only summer was year round. Words really can’t explain.

    Reply
    • Hi, Jonita. The pain must be bad if you would rather go through childbirth. I don’t even want to think about that. LOL. I use to be the opposite. I felt better in the winter than in the summer. Not anymore. Now each season brings its own set of problems. Take care!

      Reply
  6. Absolutely the weather, especially the cold for me feels like it gets inside and just aggravates the pain even more. I am not too concerned with people who disagree. If it doesn’t affect you ,great. I know this for those of us it does hurt. Please do not diminish our voice. Hasn’t that happened enough?

    Reply
  7. Sue, I have been searching for articles related to Florida weather and yours has been the best I’ve found. When I was diagnosed, I lived in PA. The doctor who diagnosed me said that the most effective tool I would need is a barometer. He was so right! Barometric pressure below 30 means I am going to suffer both physically and emotionally.

    A couple years after my diagnosis, I moved SE North Carolina and had less flares and much less pain. Over the past 2 years, I’ve been living in the Ft Myers area of Florida and I have not had a single day without pain. I feel like my symptoms have worsened and my body has aged 20 years!

    I’m in the process of packing to move back to NC. I can’t wait to get there. Being in that area makes me feel… almost normal!

    Reply
  8. So true !!! I used to live in Bonita Springs… Know where you are. Hurrican season and low pressure symptoms were awful for me. We’ve moved to Pa. It seems easier here but every days a challenge.

    Reply
    • Hi, Joy. I worked in Bonita Springs at a grocery store. Not real sure about the name but I think it was called Wooleys. This winter the weather was so unusual with thunderstorms and tornados. Like you said, everyday is a challenge.

      Reply
  9. I live in Missouri the show me State and the only thing and has show me is how to be miserable. When literally have 90 degree weather and it’s so humid and hot and you’re miserable and flaring because of it. The very same week it will drop down to the 30s and have snow and yes that happened not very many months ago. I can usually tell when there’s a pressure system coming in one to two days ahead of time I start hurting everywhere I can barely move and I’m usually in bed. I’m 38 years old I’ve had symptoms for a long time but was officially diagnosed about five years ago. Due to the illnesses plus the 5 back surgeries and for knee surgeries and 1 neck surgery I am unable to work. I used to be able to go through my house and get it all cleaned up in a day now if I get one room done it a day I’m impressed. I was having a good day a couple days ago and me and my daughter went through and cleaned and cleaned and cleaned we even cleaned out the car. The problem with that is today I am stuck in bed because I can’t move because it hurts to just take a breath this disease sucks. There is a dr. Seuss saying I do not like fibromyalgia here or there I do not like fibromyalgia anywhere. Ain’t that the truth I just wish one of the almost 20 medicines that I’m on including pain medicine from Pain Management would completely work and make my life somewhat normal. I’m not even asking for regular I would be happy with just a slight Improvement. Well it looks like it’s back off to nap time thanks to my pain medicine hope everyone does better with the weather ours is been hot and it looks like it’s going to stay that way for the next couple weeks. The problem with St Louis is it’s hot and humid and muggy which makes it even more miserable thank God for air conditioning and fans.

    Reply

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