{"id":19201,"date":"2023-05-04T12:29:17","date_gmt":"2023-05-04T17:29:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thepapergown.zocdoc.com\/?p=19201"},"modified":"2023-05-04T14:41:47","modified_gmt":"2023-05-04T19:41:47","slug":"how-temperature-can-impact-your-chronic-illness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/how-temperature-can-impact-your-chronic-illness\/","title":{"rendered":"How Weather Exacerbates Autoimmune Disorders"},"content":{"rendered":"

When you have an autoimmune disease, your immune system attacks healthy cells in your body by mistake. While every autoimmune disorder is distinct, many share overlapping features. One common issue is heightened sensitivity to weather.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Temperature shifts \u2014 bouts of extreme hot and cold, as well as abrupt changes in either direction \u2014 can exacerbate symptoms of numerous autoimmune conditions, including<\/span> hyperthyroidism<\/span><\/a>,<\/span> lupus<\/span><\/a>, and multiple sclerosis. These symptom \u201cflare-ups\u201d are usually temporary, but they can still be a drag.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What\u2019s tricky is that temperature changes can trigger different responses in people with the same autoimmune disorder. \u201cIt\u2019s important to recognize that there\u2019s interindividual variability in how symptoms of an autoimmune disease are affected by different weather patterns,\u201d says Dr.<\/span> Lili Barsky<\/span><\/a>, a hospitalist and urgent care physician. \u201cThere is also a lot of subjectivity associated with how patients report flares.”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Fortunately, there are ways to mitigate the severity of weather-induced flare-ups. Here\u2019s an overview of how and why heat and cold exacerbate different autoimmune disorders, and what patients can do to prepare for temperature shifts.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How are autoimmune disorders diagnosed?<\/h3>\n

Scientists have identified <\/span>more than 80 different<\/span><\/a> autoimmune diseases \u2014 common ones include Type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and lupus. All told, more than 23.5 million Americane are dealing with autoimmune disorders, according to the <\/span>National Institutes of Health<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The road to diagnosis <\/span>can be long and difficult<\/span><\/a>. With so many different diseases \u2014 many of which share overlapping symptoms \u2014 it can be hard for doctors to pinpoint an exact diagnosis.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

You can help your care team by sharing a thorough inventory of your family health history and keeping a detailed record of your symptoms. Many people work with multiple providers across specialties, including <\/span>rheumatologists<\/span><\/a> with training in treating autoimmune conditions, before arriving at a diagnosis.<\/span><\/p>\n

Which autoimmune conditions are exacerbated by temperature changes, and how?<\/h3>\n

Arthritis<\/em><\/h3>\n

Trigger: Temperature and weather changes, generally<\/span><\/h3>\n

Arthritis causes joint pain and swelling. Some research suggests weather affects arthritis symptoms, particularly in patients with<\/span> osteoarthritis of the hip<\/span><\/a>, the most common type.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In one<\/span> 2014 study<\/span><\/a> of arthritis patients, about two-thirds reported<\/span> increased pain and stiffness<\/span><\/a> in high humidity and cold, wet weather. An<\/span> earlier study<\/span><\/a>, from 1995, found that younger people with arthritis were more sensitive to temperature-induced pain changes than older ones. And<\/span> a 2007 study<\/span><\/a> found that changes in air pressure and temperature were associated with arthritic knee pain severity. The<\/span> prevailing belief<\/span><\/a> is that temperature intensifies arthritis pain by changing the composition of synovial fluid, which lubricates joints for ease of movement.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism<\/em><\/h3>\n

Trigger: High and low temperatures, respectively<\/span><\/h3>\n

Your thyroid, an endocrine gland in your neck, secretes hormones into your bloodstream to help regulate your metabolism. (Your metabolism and body temperature are directly related.)<\/span><\/p>\n

People with <\/span>hyperthyroidism<\/span><\/i> have overactive thyroids (meaning they over-secrete thyroid hormones), while those with <\/span>hypothyroidism<\/span><\/i> have under-active thyroids. Both conditions make it hard to maintain a normal body temperature, in opposite ways.<\/span><\/p>\n