Can the Weather Affect Ankylosing Spondylitis?

Research shows that certain aspects of the weather may be linked to severe bouts of ankylosing spondylitis.

Factors such as cold weather, humidity, high heat, and wind may act as triggers that change or even worsen symptoms. Treatment and a healthy lifestyle may help offset the effects of these changes. Knowing the way weather affects your illness can help you manage the disease.

This article describes how some aspects of the weather can affect ankylosing spondylitis and what you can do to cope with these types of triggers.

Ankylosing Spondylitis and Weather

People with arthritic conditions like ankylosing spondylitis often claim that their symptoms react to changes in the weather. Though various studies report that arthritic joints become more painful when it's cold and damp, others may report feeling worse when the temperatures are warm and dry.

Studies investigating the weather's effect on arthritic symptoms have produced inconclusive results. Though results indicate that the impact of the weather exists for some people, it varies by person in the same way that the disease affects people differently.

Weather-Related AS Triggers

The impact of specific weather-related AS triggers can vary by person. Why certain factors affect some people with arthritic conditions more than others is unclear. It may depend on the fact that some people are more weather-sensitive, regardless of their disease state.

Below is how different weather factors can act as triggers for flare-ups for some people with ankylosing spondylitis and other types of arthritis.

Cold Weather

Many people complain that their chronic pain increases during cold weather. Scientists don't know why cold weather—or any other weather-related factor—affects some people more than others.

Research indicates that the relationship between arthritis and cold weather is more than anecdotal.

A 2015 study in the Journal of Rheumatology, called the European Project on OSteoArthritis (EPOSA), examined the effect of weather conditions on joint pain in older people with osteoarthritis. Though 67% of participants reported that weather affected their pain, 30% of these weather-sensitive participants said they were only sensitive to cold weather. Of note:

• The highest level of joint pain intensity was in the winter
• The lowest level of joint pain intensity was in autumn

Researchers concluded that there was a significant impact between daily average humidity and temperature on joint pain, with the effects of humidity on pain more significant in colder weather. Possible causes for this include:

• Humidity and temperature may promote the expansion and contraction of different tissues in the affected joints, triggering a pain response.
• The viscosity of the body's synovial fluid may increase in low temperatures. (Synovial fluid is the liquid that lubricates your joints and allows them to move easily.) This effect may contribute to joint stiffness and make the joints more sensitive to mechanical stresses.
  

Humidity

The results of several studies point to humidity as a factor in triggering flare-ups in ankylosing spondylitis and other types of arthritis.

In a 2021 review of ankylosing spondylitis patient visits to a general hospital in China, researchers found a link between high humidity and an increase in the number of ankylosing spondylitis patients visiting the hospital.

In a 2019 study, researchers at the University of Manchester monitored over 13,000 UK residents living with chronic pain from a wide range of conditions using a smartphone app. Most participants had some form of arthritis. The results showed that higher-pain days were more likely to occur when there was higher humidity. Researchers reported "significant yet modest" links between pain reported by participants and daily variations in relative humidity, among other factors.

These support the findings of earlier research that report a link between humidity and arthritis symptoms:

• Researchers in the EPOSA study reported a link between humidity and increasing pain and stiffness, especially during colder weather.
• Researchers in a 2015 study on patients with rheumatoid arthritis in Belfast found that disease activity increased with humidity and was significantly lower in sunnier and less humid conditions.

However, the link between humidity and arthritic conditions is inconclusive. Research from a 2017 study of 11 million older Americans found no statistically relevant relationship between joint pain and rainy weather.

High Heat

Though it's more common for people to complain about the effect of cold, damp weather on ankylosing spondylitis and other forms of arthritis, high heat can make the condition worse for some.

In the 2015 EPOSA study of joint pain in older people with osteoarthritis, 5% of weather-sensitive participants reported sensitivity to hot weather. Researchers proposed that the expansion and contraction that occurs with temperature changes may affect tissues in the affected joints, triggering pain.

A 2020 study of 117 patients with rheumatoid arthritis reported that the effect of extreme temperatures in the summer and winter was significant. Researchers proposed that they could attribute the increase in disease activity during the summer to the frequent tissue swelling that occurs with warmer temperatures.

Wind

Temperatures aren't the only factors that can impact the way you feel. There is evidence of the influence of high wind on symptoms of ankylosing spondylitis and other types of rheumatic conditions.

Researchers in the 2019 study from the University of Manchester reported that stronger winds ranked third after higher humidity and lower pressure and significantly effected increased pain among the participants. The results point to a humid and windy day with low pressure as the type of weather most likely to lead to the most pain.

How to Cope With Weather-Related Flare-Ups

Recognizing that certain conditions can lead to weather-related flare-ups can help you prepare to manage your pain. Depending on the type of triggers that you experience, consider these steps to manage your condition:

• During periods of extreme temperatures, plan to stay indoors in areas where you can regulate temperature with heating or air-conditioning as needed.
• Consider using a dehumidifier to reduce the humidity indoors and normalize it at a steady level.
• Check the Arthritis Foundation's Weather & Arthritis Index to see how the current weather and upcoming conditions could potentially affect your levels of pain.
• Dress in layers so you have the chance to adjust to sudden changes in temperature that might aggravate your pain.

Other than planning for specific weather events, coping with weather-related flare-ups doesn't differ much from how you handle any type of ankylosis spondylitis flare-up, regardless of its origin.

The following strategies are usually advisable when dealing with flare-ups:

• Restart or increase your daily dose of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) as advised by your healthcare practitioner.
• Modify your exercise routine as necessary but don't remain sedentary because exercise helps relieve ankylosing spondylitis pain.
• Get adequate sleep.
• Use heat or child therapy for pain.
• Practice stress relaxation techniques like meditation and deep breathing.
• Contact your healthcare provider if a flare-up lasts longer than a few days.
  

Summary

Ankylosing spondylitis causes chronic pain and stiffness in your joints. Like other types of arthritis, it can cause flare-ups that involve spells of more severe pain. These flares can last for days to weeks.

Though the cause of this illness and its flare-ups are unknown, many people have more severe pain that aligns with certain weather events. Research confirms that the disease may be more active in some people during certain types of weather, but the impact can vary for each person and type of event.

Knowing whether factors such as hot or cold weather, wind, or humidity worsen your pain can help you prepare to manage the problem. It can also help you maintain control of your life by planning these events.