Many people complain of discomfort when there are strong temperature fluctuations due to the weather. Around a third of all Germans struggle with environmental influences and climatic conditions. Weather sensitivity is the name for illnesses and complaints that are caused by strong temperature fluctuations and corresponding climatic conditions.
What is weather sensitivity?
Sensitivity to weather is sometimes noticeable through physical complaints such as headache, joint pain and pain in the limbs. The circulation fluctuates and the blood pressure changes greatly. In principle, these are difficulties in adapting the respective person after a weather change.
The body can only get used to the changed weather conditions slowly. The resulting complaints are of different nature. Headaches and pressure, migraines, insomnia, joint and muscle pain, and irritable or depressed mood occur. There is no direct disease underlying the symptoms.
Sensitivity to weather should not be confused with sensitivity to weather. With this predisposition, in turn, the person concerned has a chronic illness. Symptoms worsen up to two days before the weather changes and improve two to three days after the weather changes. Here complaints can arise that are also typical for weather sensitivity.
causes
The causes for the sometimes painful reaction to changed climatic conditions can be caused by different weather conditions. This includes all extreme weather conditions with increased humidity.
This is humid and warm air in summer and spring and cold and wet conditions in autumn and winter. The decisive factor is the high level of humidity. On the other hand, extreme heat of more than thirty degrees or extreme cold below zero degrees do not necessarily lead to discomfort if the humidity is low. On the one hand, individual genetic predispositions and individual underlying diseases are one of the reasons for being sensitive to the weather.
In addition, the fact that numerous people work in air-conditioned rooms is not insignificant. A quick 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 professions, react much less violently to changes in the weather.
Symptoms, ailments & signs
The signs of sensitivity to weather are different. Mostly patients are affected who have other underlying diseases. These include above all rheumatism patients and heart patients. They suffer when the weather changes. A drop in temperature or rain are the trigger. Young people are affected much less often than older people. Signs mainly occur in the elderly.
The most common symptoms affect the head. Patients usually complain of headaches and migraines. In addition, concentration disorders occur. Dizziness is also possible. The psyche suffers. Men and women are listless and depressed. Life seems monotonous and gray. Even with small irregularities one shows irritation.
The effects can also be seen at night: those affected cannot fall asleep, which makes the disease worse the following day. Circulatory problems are then possible. In addition, physical symptoms also occur: Individual limbs such as the legs hurt. Sometimes patients report that bones and scars that have long healed are painful.
The degree of sensitivity varies. Some people only suffer for one to three days. For others, the disease lasts as long as the new weather conditions prevail. If you travel to a region with different climatic conditions, the complaints regularly disappear.
Diagnosis & course
Cool rain showers alternate with warm and humid 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 is going crazy or similar complaints.
Our nervous system and brain react directly to environmental influences. The human body is particularly troubled by moisture. The mood changes, the nerves are on edge and the whole quality of life can decrease. The symptoms of sensitivity to weather appear between 24 and 48 hours before a weather change. The person affected “feels” the emerging weather and reacts accordingly.
This can result in foehn headaches in cold air or foehn weather, angina pectoris in persistent bad weather or Atlantic cold air, changes in blood pressure in warm and humid weather as well as high-reaching cold air, cardiovascular problems in the center of a low pressure area, cramps or colic in Atlantic cold air, Show irritation, aggression and concentration disorders in cold air and with a hairdryer.
Joint pain and rheumatism as well as old broken bones are noticeable in wet and cold bad weather. Sleep disorders often show up in windy weather or when the general weather conditions change.
Complications
A pronounced sensitivity to the weather can cause various physical and emotional complaints. Sleep disorders and mood swings are typical of a sensitivity to the weather - symptoms that have a negative effect on well-being in the event of frequent or particularly intense weather changes and sometimes also have permanent consequences.
Existing rheumatic diseases and joint diseases often intensify in the event of a sudden change in the weather and then cause severe pain that often lasts for several days. Serious complications can arise if the person suddenly feels dizzy and falls. Cramps, concentration disorders and sudden headaches also increase the risk of accidents in everyday life and at work.
People who are sensitive to the weather sometimes also develop mental suffering. It can lead to depressive moods, but also to pronounced depression and anxiety disorders. The treatment of a weather sensitivity is carried out through natural measures and therefore does not involve any major risks.
However, certain applications such as acupuncture or homeopathic remedies can cause discomfort. Acupuncture can lead to infections and rarely injuries to larger blood vessels. If used incorrectly, natural remedies can cause headaches and gastrointestinal complaints, and serious allergic reactions occasionally occur.
When should you go to the doctor?
If you are sensitive to the weather, you normally do not need a doctor. It is a temporary phenomenon and there is no need for further action. In addition, it is not a disease in its own right that requires medical intervention. There is no therapy for the sensations. Rather, the causes of the perceptions must be considered.
Sensitivity to the weather can be observed in many people who have suffered from various illnesses in the past and are still experiencing after-effects. The person concerned should develop a way of dealing with the emerging 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 impairments in addition to the sensitivity to the weather.
In very rare cases, there may be other factors that should be investigated or monitored more closely 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 required if long-term suffering is experienced, the quality of life is permanently reduced and no coping mechanisms are shown on their own initiative that would perceive an improvement in the situation. In addition, regular check-ups with a doctor are recommended.
Treatment & Therapy
A healthy diet, plenty of drinking, exercise in the fresh air, regular sauna visits, Kneipp applications or outdoor sports are all means that help prevent sensitivity to the weather. These measures can be very helpful, the immune system is trained and strengthened and the body practices adaptation to the changing climatic conditions.
If the pain is noticeable despite everything, there are numerous home remedies. Alternating baths with rosemary oil or alternating showers help against slackness. Drinking plenty is essential; fruits, vegetables and healthy foods should be on the menu. Those who are sensitive to the weather should for the most part avoid luxury foods. 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 meals should be taken at the same time if possible. If the impairment caused by the sensitivity to the weather is too strong and affects daily life, a doctor should definitely be consulted. Homeopathic remedies or acupuncture are helpful uses. Studies have shown that this Chinese healing art can reduce discomfort.
prevention
If you want to prevent sensitivity to the weather, you regularly exercise in the fresh air. Going for a walk, walking, jogging, gymnastic exercises outdoors and cycling are options that can be accommodated in everyday life.
In addition to exercising, there are recommendations not to wear too fat, but also not to freeze while exercising. The clothing should always be adapted to the weather of the respective season. Sufficient sleep and plenty of vegetables and fruits on the menu can help to get the weather sensitivity under control.
Follow-up care if you are sensitive to the weather does not make sense and ultimately not possible. In the case of complaints that are based on changes in the weather, only a preventive measure would be helpful. However, the options are also limited. The weather cannot be predicted with absolute certainty, and persistent weather conditions are also rare. Consequently, if there is a tendency to be sensitive to the weather, neither precaution nor aftercare can be taken.
Aftercare
The person concerned can still visit the doctor to get medication to relieve the symptoms. Such medicine is often plant based. There are also a number of weather-related complaints. A weather-sensitive person feels the symptoms differently in every weather condition.
If he is suffering from migraines during warm fronts, the doctor can prescribe appropriate painkillers. He can also advise him to adjust appropriately to the hypersensitivity so that it does not have a negative impact on the quality of life. If the sensitivity to the weather is unusually stressful for the person concerned and leads to frequent sick leave, the administration of stronger medication is advisable.
Medical follow-up care can be provided here, in which the patient can be informed about the effects of the medicine. If there are any side effects, the person concerned speaks to his family doctor as part of the follow-up care. There the interactions are treated under medical supervision.
You can do that yourself
Sensitivity to weather has developed into a kind of civilization disease: Many complain of headaches, dizziness and sleep disorders. Others are particularly troubled by crippling body aches. There are some useful home remedies with which annoying weather complaints can usually be quickly dispelled.
If the circulation is weakened, a so-called "arm bath" can help to regain momentum. To do this, run cold water, ideally in the sink, and then dip both arms up to the middle of the upper arm. Move your arms back and forth a little, take out after about 30 seconds and dry off. Ayurvedic medicine provides another home remedy that provides the body with an energy boost in the morning: Boil a quarter liter of water and drink it in small sips. Hydration and warmth have an invigorating effect.
If those affected sometimes go black when the weather changes, they should fall back on drug drops that contain dummy myrtle and yellow jasmine as homeopathic ingredients. At the same time, it is advisable to drink a lot. If those affected feel a queasy feeling, this can be countered with an apple spritzer - the carbon dioxide stimulates the circulation, while the fructose in the juice stimulates the blood sugar. Outdoor walks also act as a circulatory enhancer. Herbal remedies with valerian promote a restful night in the event of insomnia due to changes in the weather.
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