While many people with chronic pain find that it’s worse in the winter, it turns out that summer’s heat and humidity can also lead to joint pain. At Arizona Pain, we know extreme heat. With an average high of 104° and a low of 78° in June, the huge swings in Phoenix’s temperatures can wreak havoc on already-aching joints. Joint pain in summer is a thing we know how to treat. This is what you should know, how to prevent summer joint pain, and your treatment options.

Do I really have more joint pain in summer?

Maybe you think you are imagining things and that the swelling and ache in your joints is not real. Unfortunately, joint pain in summer is all-too common as the mercury soars.

Why does joint pain in summer increase?

Dehydration

One of the main culprits of joint pain in summer is dehydration. Especially in dry climates like Arizona, your sweat may evaporate before you notice it’s there. This means that you are losing more fluid than you realize, even when you are at rest (or asleep!).

This dehydration increases friction in the joints that rely on hydration to stay healthy. Ball-and-socket joints like the hips and shoulders suffer especially from a lack of proper hydration, but all joints are susceptible.

Less activity

Arizona’s climate is perfect for many year-round outdoor activities, but when the temperature rises, many of us head inside or reduce the length of our exercise outside.

Reduced activity levels for joints that relied on daily movement to stay healthy can be felt nearly immediately. In some cases, reducing your activity can cause worsening or referred pain (e.g., back pain) as the body compensates for the painful joint.

Temperature swings

The huge changes in temperature can make a person’s mind suffer, and the same holds true for that person’s body!

Tendons, ligaments, and connective tissue inside the joints expand and contract with each rise and fall of the thermometer. Over the course of the day, this can actually increase joint pain in summer.

Bad weather

While many people move to Arizona specifically for the dry climate, we can also get some gully washers that roll through in the summertime. When this happens, the pressure in the atmosphere drops—and so does the pressure in your body. You might think that this would be good for inflamed joints, but the joints respond differently to a dropping barometer.

In a quest to maintain stability and balance, the tissues in the joints swell to fill the joint capsule as the pressure drops. This can press on already-inflamed tissues or cause issues with mobility that lead to pain. Many people experience this as swelling in the joints or a decreased range of motion. If you’re experiencing summertime in dry climates like Arizona you may actually have more of this type of weather-related pain than in winter.

What about rheumatoid arthritis in hot weather?

Rheumatoid arthritis in hot weather can also be a perfect storm of swelling and inflammation caused by too little activity, dehydration, and barometric changes.

Complicating things even more, dealing with any kind of arthritis in summer can mean a tricky balance between too much water and not enough. Some people experience more water retention in their joints, which can be very painful, while others cannot get enough fluid into their body.

What’s the connection between humidity and inflammation?

Although cold and wet is the worst combination for joint pain, hot and humid is a close second. Joints have sensory nerves in them that respond to the conditions both inside and outside your body. When the humidity rises along with the temperature, a corresponding drop in pressure creates space in your joint. The body responds by expanding the ligaments and tendons to fill the joint. Humidity also affects the amount of fluid that is present in the joint. Less fluid means more friction and pain with each movement.

In a healthy joint, this expansion and slight decrease in joint lubrication may result in minor stiffness until the joint is warmed up. But humidity and inflammation can affect an already-compromised joint and potentially lead to further damage and pain.

How to manage arthritis in summer

The good news: you don’t have to suffer from joint pain in summer, and you can still do all of the things you love. In fact, keeping activity levels the same year-round can be one of the best things you do not only for your physical but also your mental health.

There are some precautions you can take to help prevent joint pain in summer (and manage if it occurs). Here’s our guide to getting started. If you’re ever unsure, we recommend reaching out to your doctor for guidance or contact the Arizona Pain team (if you’re in Arizona) for help.

Exercise, but with caution

As long as your doctor has approved it, continue to exercise even during the hottest times of the year. Do it by making summertime modifications.

For example, you can beat the heat by exercising very early in the morning or after the sun has set. Take many breaks and stay in the shade if you can even during the cooler parts of the day.

Or, modify how and where you exercise. If you are an avid tennis player, see if you can find an indoor tennis facility to make playing more comfortable. Consider switching to a “summer sport” to keep your whole body fit. Instead of jogging, why not try swimming instead? This low-impact, full-body exercise works every muscle that jogging does, safely and out of the heat.

Need something low intensity? Join friends to do laps around a large indoor mall. You can also invest in a treadmill and watch an episode of your favorite TV show while walking at a moderate pace. If you’re short on space, time, and money, check out free exercise videos online for a quick cardio boosting workout.

After your workout, ensure you rehydrate and cool the body down slowly.

Stay hydrated

The most important thing you can do for joint pain in summer is to stay hydrated. Sure, water is often the recommended beverage, but in very hot climates where sweat is nearly nonexistent because the heat is dry, it pays to mind your electrolytes, too.

Look for drinks that have the essential minerals of salt, potassium, magnesium, and calcium. These minerals regulate many different functions in the body, from managing muscle contractions to regulating the nervous system.

Electrolytes can also be found in a variety of foods, including:

• Soy milk
• Pickles
• Coconut water
• Spinach
• Celery
• Lettuce

To get enough liquid, you can also eat foods that are “watery,” like greens, sweet peppers, melons, and berries.

During the summer months, also avoid drinks with excessive caffeine and sugar, as these can cause dehydration. Alcoholic beverages also increase urination, which can lead to dehydration. If you are consuming alcohol, make sure to have a glass of water for each drink you consume.

Finally, another good way to ingest electrolytes is through the largest organ in your body: your skin. A relaxing Epsom salts bath cools the body and delivers magnesium transdermally, good for hydration and a proper night’s sleep!

Sleep well

There is lots of research on how poor sleep affects chronic pain, and none of it is good. In the summer, sleep may be even more elusive. The longer days, coupled with hot nights, may make drifting off harder than normal.

Take the time to “summer proof” your sleep. Install blackout shades in your room if the early sunrise cuts your slumber short. Turn down the thermostat at night. Choose breathable cotton sheets and light (or no) sleeping clothes. Finally, consider bringing a cool washcloth to sleep if you are having a hard time bringing your body temperature down.

Focus on healthy food

A big bonus of summertime is the increased access to delicious, fresh food. Abundant summer vegetables at every farmer’s market means you can have a dinner that was standing fresh in the field that morning.

But summer also brings barbecues, ice cream socials, and pitchers of beer and sangria. Eating healthy food year-round is a great way to reduce joint pain in the summer by maintaining a healthy BMI and decreasing food-related inflammation. It can be challenging in the wintertime to find inflammation-reducing cherries in the grocery store, but in summer, they are literally falling off the trees.

The best diet for arthritis in summer is one that is easy, delicious, and anti-inflammatory. Reach for abundant fruits and vegetables, lean proteins on the grill, and healthy whole grains like quinoa and brown rice.

Stick with your medical routine

We know how it goes: all you want to do in the summertime is take off work, laze in the midday sun, and run away to the beach. But if you have an established treatment protocol for your joint pain, in summer it’s crucial to stick with it.

This includes things like sticking to physical therapy schedules and taking medications as directed. Seems like common sense, but it can be challenging to stick to a schedule when it feels like the days are endless and no one else has a schedule. Use your phone to set alarms and reminders to stay on track!

Don’t forget to relax

And speaking of endless days with no schedules, one of the ironic things about summer is that it can be really hard to just relax. With vacations to plan, kids to manage, and the go-go-go vibe of the season, we can get wrapped up and stressed out by something that’s supposed to be fun and relaxing.

Take a break every day to simply sit somewhere quiet and breathe. There is a Zen proverb: if you don’t have time to meditate for an hour, then you should meditate for two hours. You don’t need to go to those extremes, but there is plenty of research that shows that mindfulness meditation for just 20 minutes a day can go a long way to reducing your chronic pain (and the stress it comes with).

Does summer make other pain conditions worse?

Summer’s high temperatures and humidity can make other pain conditions worse, too. Be aware of any other conditions you may experiencing beyond joint pain, like:

• Headaches and migraines can be explosive in the summer, prompted by shifts in the barometer, air pollution, and dehydration
• Summer’s hot, humid air can increase the pain and frequency of fibromyalgia flare-ups
• Heat can also worsen the symptoms of multiple sclerosis, including back pain, muscle spasms, and trigeminal neuralgia

As with joint pain in summer, many of these conditions can be eased by bringing the body temperature down and taking proper precautions. Continue getting moderate exercise, prioritize sleep, and stay hydrated.

Get help for your joint pain in summer

At Arizona Pain, we’re out there in the heat right alongside you. We know how to treat joint pain in the summer because so many of our patients experience it firsthand. Along with these preventative measures, there are pain management approaches that can help if you’re experiencing severe pain that’s impacting your overall quality of life.

If you’re in Arizona, get in touch today to see how we can help.

For many people, summer means hot days by the pool and time for vacations. People with chronic pain, however, may find that sweltering temperatures exacerbate symptoms and lead to flare-ups. A family’s increased pace of activities can also make lifestyle changes related to pain management, such as eating healthy, difficult to maintain. Here are some tips on staying healthy and managing summertime chronic pain.

1.  Stay cool to reduce summertime chronic pain

Avoid the heat on particularly hot days by staying inside. You can go see a movie to take advantage of the air conditioning if you find it difficult to maintain cool indoor temperatures at home. If you like to exercise outside by taking a walk or riding a bike, amend your schedule. Complete the activity in the early morning or late evening hours when the sun is not at its peak strength.

Although there is limited scientific evidence for heat increasing discomfort related to summertime chronic pain, doctors say anecdotal evidence linking the two is strong. Dr. John Pappas, medical director for Royal Oak, Michigan’s Beaumont Center for Pain Medicine, tells Everyday Heath:

“Heat and humidity affect people with chronic pain because patients with these conditions have difficultly regulating their system with extreme changes of temperature and moisture in the air.”

Pappas adds that high levels of heat may also influence the levels of ozone in the air, which could also affect the quality of life for people with disorders like fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, and chronic fatigue syndrome. Ozone is produced when certain chemicals, including motor vehicle exhaust and emissions from industrial facilities, react with the sunlight. High levels can make it hard to breathe and may make it difficult for people living with chronic pain.

Pollution also increases inflammation, according to research published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, which worsens chronic pain. To minimize the effects of ozone, try to avoid spending large periods of time outdoors when levels are high.

2. Eat healthy amidst summer barbecues

Although summer is not a holiday-ridden season like the winter months, summer does tend to involve more outdoor celebrations punctuated by cake and other tasty, but unhealthy confections. Fortunately, hot summer weather is perfect for berries, melons, peaches, and other juicy fruit that tastes like candy but is a whole lot healthier.

These fruits are chock full of important anti-oxidants and inflammation fighters. These can help you manage pain throughout the warm summer months. For example, you might take advantage of summer cherry season. Studies have found that cherries contains powerful pain-fighting and inflammation-reducing compounds, according to research completed by the United States Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service.

This may be the tastiest tip for reducing your summertime chronic pain.

3. Plan ahead for road trips

Long summertime road trips feature great scenery, but sitting in confined spaces for long periods of time may leave you feeling cramped and painful. To make the most of your summer travel plans, schedule plenty of rest stops to allow for walking around and stretching your muscles. Walking around helps get the blood flowing again, improving circulation and reducing the likelihood of painful flare-ups.

Consider packing a cooler full of healthy snacks and light meals, such as peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, chopped fruit or vegetables, nuts, or pretzels. Finding healthy meals on the road can be tricky, and preparing for the challenge ahead of time will leave you ready.

If your family members like listening to talk radio, try to negotiate for music instead. A study published in the United Kingdom’s Journal of Advanced Nursing found that listening to music helps reduce chronic pain by up to 20%. Turning up the tunes also reduced feelings of depression among study subjects.

Another consideration for road trips is making sure you have a comfortable seat. Using a special cushion might well prepare you for hours on the road. You might also bring a blanket along to compensate for an air conditioning induced chill and pack a pillow in case the urge to nap strikes.

4. Keep exercising—even on vacation

One of the biggest reasons summertime chronic pain flares up is because of a disrupted exercise schedule. When out of town, the temptation is to completely let loose and forsake your routine. The problem is that those exercise routines are hard-won, as you probably know. It takes time to get in a routine, and any inertia you had when going into the trip is lost when you come back. You essentially have to start all over.

So if you have developed an exercise routine, the easiest way to keep it going is to continue exercising on vacation. Most hotels have workout facilities for sneaking in a sweat. But why not have fun with your exercise activity and include the whole family? You might go for a hike or bike ride to explore new terrain. You could also take an evening stroll throughout the downtown area of a city.

Incorporating exercise into your vacation allows you to experience the locale in an entirely new way all while enjoying the benefits of good health and exercise. And since anxiety can also flare up during the summer, this can be another way to manage those symptoms.

5. Plan ahead for medications

If you’re taking any medications to manage chronic conditions, make sure you have enough of a supply to make it through the trip before leaving town. This is good practice for over-the-counter medications you take, as well. It’s always better to travel with the medications that you need rather than look for a pharmacy in an unfamiliar place.

Having commonly used medications at your disposal will also give you peace of mind going into the trip so you can relax and know that everything is taken care of.

6. Stay hydrated

Good hydration is essential for surviving summertime chronic pain, in humid and dry climates alike. The body is composed of 60% water, and dehydration can lead to fatigue and general system distress.

Frequently cited is the advice to drink 8, 8-ounce glasses of water each day. Mayo Clinic says that amount is fine, especially considering that food, particularly fruits and vegetables, contains about 20% of a person’s daily water intake. Keep in mind that if you’re out in hot weather, exercising, or participating in other water-consuming activities, you will likely need to drink larger quantities of water to stay hydrated.

Many people don’t stay hydrated enough because they don’t like the taste of water. They may turn to sodas or juice instead. While they have water content, they’re not as hydrating as plain water.

If you are turned off by boring water you can enhance it by creating infusions. Common additions to water are berries, citrus fruit, or refreshing cucumber. You can add these directly to the water or freeze them in ice cubes to add to a glass or bottle on the go. Some people also prefer sparking or bubbling water over still water.

7. Avoid dehydration 

For many patients, dehydration can lead to more serious summertime chronic pain symptoms. This is especially true for conditions like migraine and headaches.

Part of the reason dehydration is so confusing is because of the facts and figures that people often cite when discussing the issue. They can be hard to decipher, understand, and even live up to. As of 2013 it was estimated that nearly 75% of people are chronically dehydrated. There are so many recommendations about how much water an individual should consume a day that confusion is very common. On top of that, many people eschew water for sugary sodas and other beverages that don’t provide the same hydrating properties as good old fashioned H20.

The best way to determine if you’re getting enough water each day is to monitor your urine. This easy color test can give you an idea if you need to up your intake at any point. Ideally, your urine should be a very pale yellow. Dark urine could indicate not only dehydration but other more concerning medical problems.

Dehydration is a real concern for far too many people. Remaining chronically under-hydrated can lead to long-term medical problems if not addressed. Heat exhaustion and heat stroke are very real possibilities especially for dehydrated individuals who are engaging in physical activity. It can also cause brain swelling, seizures, low blood volume shock, kidney failure, and death.

Patients dealing with the effects of a variety of summertime chronic pain conditions should monitor their fluid intake and discuss the proper, healthy amounts of water with their doctors.

Signs of dehydration and heat sickness

The best way to avoid dehydration during these hot summer months is to know what to look out for and intervene at the slightest signs of distress. Here are some of the ways you can spot signs of dehydration and heat sickness in yourself or others.

Dry mouth

This can occur for a number of reasons but the most common is a lack of hydration. If your mouth feels sticky and you’re not producing enough natural lubricating fluids it is probably time to up the water intake.

Fatigue

Excessive tiredness is also a sign of dehydration. This is very visible in children who tend to have a lot of energy to burn off during a sunny day outside. If they are tired during the day for no reason you might want to be concerned.

Thirst

For years, experts have suggested that by the time your body is thirsty you’re already dehydrated. It is best not to let yourself feel thirsty but if you do, drink water immediately. If the water doesn’t satiate the thirst you may have extreme dehydration.

Low urine volume

Far too many people actually look at visits to the toilet as an inconvenience. They may avoid drinking fluids so they can skip going to the bathroom during a busy day. This is very dangerous behavior. If you are unable to produce enough urine, you are dehydrated.

Dry skin

Dry and flaky skin is common any time of year and it means your skin isn’t moisturized enough. Proper hydration is important to maintain good skin health. If lotion isn’t helping, you may need more water.

Dizziness and fainting

If you feel light-headed or faint when you’re hot this may be a sign of dehydration. Sit down, drink water, and see if the feeling passes. Otherwise, you may need to head to the ER.

Fever or high body temperature

If you have no other symptoms of sickness that typically causes a fever but your body temperature is higher than average, you should seek medical attention immediately.

Delirium

Some people, when faced with extreme dehydration or heat stroke, may experience hallucinations. If you see this in others, take immediate medical action. If someone is extremely dehydrated they may need medical intervention to recover. They can be given intravenous fluids. This helps hydrate the body faster and in a way that won’t upset the stomach.

What tips do you have for managing summertime chronic pain?

For many people, summertime elicits fun images of swimming and barbecues, but those suffering from cluster headaches may find the change in season triggers the attacks, turning one of the year’s most anticipated seasons into a time of dread and pain.

Cluster headaches are the most rare form of headaches, according to Web MD, but they cause a great amount of pain and life disruption for the approximately one in 1,000 people who experience them. An expert at the Montefiore Headache Center calls them “suicide headaches” because they’re so painful and disruptive.

About 80% of people experience cluster headaches during a specific season, followed by a headache-free rest of the year. Meanwhile, about 20% of people suffer from the headaches all year, with as few as 14 headache-free days per year, according to WebMD.

What are cluster headaches?

Cluster headaches are headaches that develop one after another, usually one to three per day. They generally cause excruciating pain in the eye area, along with associated symptoms like eye watering, drooping eyelids, or swelling. Nasal congestion may also develop. Each cluster headache typically lasts anywhere from 30 minutes to three hours.

The pain is usually one-sided and can be so severe that patients pace during an attack because they’re unable to sit still.

Cluster headaches are typically tied to seasons, with people developing the attacks for anywhere from two weeks to three months each year. And while migraines are more common in women, cluster headaches more commonly affect men.

Researchers aren’t sure what causes the headaches, but they’re linked to activity in a major nerve pathway known as the trigeminal-autonomic reflex pathway. This activity is triggered by the hypothalamus, an area of the brain important for hormone production. The hypothalamus also regulates the body’s circadian rhythm, the natural clock that tells us when it’s time to sleep and rise.

Cluster headaches’ link to the hypothalamus and the body’s natural clock may explain why patients often experience sudden, severe attacks at night. The headaches can cause more pain than migraines, but have a much shorter intensity. According to Mayo Clinic:

“The pain of a cluster headache is often described as sharp, penetrating, or burning. People with this condition say that the pain feels like a hot poker being stuck in the eye or that the eye is being pushed out of its socket.”

Because cluster headaches are so closely linked to seasons, they’re sometimes misdiagnosed as sinus headaches, according to Montefiore Headache Center, especially because similar symptoms like sinus congestion may be present. Proper diagnosing is essential to receive the proper treatment.

Summer may trigger cluster headaches

Several things happen during summer that contribute to cluster headaches.

At the most basic level, summer happens because of the Earth’s continued rotation around the sun. As the season transitions and the Earth turns, subsequent changes in gravity affect humans’ biological rhythms, which could trigger cluster headaches, according to NY Daily News.

Meanwhile, summer’s higher temperatures and changes in barometric pressure could also cause a cluster headache or other type of severe head pain, according to researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

Scientists evaluated more than 7,000 headache sufferers and found high temperatures were a significant trigger for severe headaches. The study found that each increase of 9 degrees Fahrenheit was linked to a 7.5% increased risk for developing a severe headache. Low barometric pressure was also linked to an elevated headache risk, although not as extreme as high temperatures.

Longer daylight hours may also alter the circadian rhythm and trigger headaches, according to Everyday Health. Dr. MaryAnn Mays tells the website:

“It is probably the change in sleep cycles that sets off some seasonal headaches…Some people with cluster headaches are so sensitive to changes in daylight that they can predict the onset of their headaches almost to the exact day.”

How can cluster headaches be managed?

Although cluster headaches are linked to complicated nerves located deep within the brain, they’re influenced by lifestyle factors. That means patients are able to reduce the likelihood of an attack through specific behavior modifications.

Smoking and excessive alcohol consumption have been linked to cluster headaches. Knocking back a six-pack at the family picnic may seem like a fun idea, but reducing alcohol intake could help prevent a cluster headache from developing.

While overall high alcohol consumption may predispose a person to developing cluster headaches, even a small amount of liquor during the headache season could trigger the episodes, according to WebMD. This effect disappears during periods of remission, with alcohol not increasing the risk of a headache.

Drinking plenty of water and wearing high SPF while spending time in the sun can also help reduce cluster headache attacks, according to Shape magazine. Because the headaches are so closely tied to circadian rhythms, maintaining a regular sleeping and waking cycle, even though days are longer, may also help to keep a person headache free.

To help with sleep, some patients might take melatonin, a hormone available in pill form that helps people sleep. Although melatonin is widely available in drug stores without a prescription, talk with your doctor before taking any new supplements to make sure they don’t affect medications you’re taking or influence any other health concerns you may have.

Other headache triggers may include stress or specific foods. Keeping a headache diary, complete with foods eaten and stresses during the day can help a person identify individual triggers, Montefiore Headache Center recommends.

Another remedy that might be useful in the throes of a cluster headache is breathing in pure oxygen for 10 or 15 minutes. Research has also revealed that Botox injections may help patients find relief from pain, reports NY Daily News. The popular anti-wrinkle treatment freezes nerve activity, stopping cluster headaches at the source.

Finally, taking special medications known as calcium-channel blockers, often used to treat high-blood pressure, may also stop the cluster headaches from occurring.

Do you experience cluster headaches during the summer?

Image by Pavlina Jane via Flickr

What’s more comforting than a bowl of soup? A cold bowl of soup on a hot day! That might sound odd, but gazpacho is an excellent way to consume a nutrient-rich meal, without all of the heaviness (or heat!) associated with several courses.

This recipe is so simple to prepare; after the ingredients are chopped, they merely need to be tossed into the blender. Feel free to add some red onions or peppers to the mix if you want to add a little heat. Because all of the ingredients are blended together, this is a sneaky way to add some vegetables into your kids’ diets too!

Watermelon Gazpacho  

INGREDIENTS (Serves 2)

• 2 cups chopped watermelon
• 1 cup chopped cucumber
• ½ cup chopped tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• ¼ cup water
• 4-6 fresh basil leaves
• Sea salt and olive oil for serving

DIRECTIONS

1. Add all ingredients to a blender, reserving a handful each of the chopped watermelon and cucumber. Pulse until smooth.
2. To serve, pour the blended gazpacho into bowls. Top with reserved watermelon and cucumber. Garnish with a pinch of sea salt and a drizzle of olive oil.

What are your favorite meals for hot days?