Joints Under the Weather

It is that time of year when the air gets crisp and you enjoy evening walks through the leaves. Unfortunately, it is also the time of year when arthritis pain flares up. After the rain, before the storm, and changes of temperature seem to have a poor relationship with our joints. Much like pollen aggravated seasonal allergies; the change in seasons aggravates joints. Is the weather really the cause of your joint pain?

Science has not been able to justify the theory. It is believe that the change in weather alters the pressure and changes the pressure threshold within your body. The tissues are able to expand or swell to a greater capacity. A number of large studies closely examined arthritis pain and compared it to temperature and air pressure. Unfortunately, the research has not given us any concrete answers. So many of my patients relate their joints are better weather predictors than the weather man and I can’t disagree with them.

Whether it is an old wise tale or the cold hard truth, joint pain can put a halt to your fall activities. Arthritis has a number of different causes. Most arthritis is causes by years of wear and tear that leads to damage in the cartilage. Cartilage provides a glossy, lubricated surface that allows for smooth pain free movement. As the cartilage degenerates bone comes in contact with bone and the joint loses its ability to move freely without causing irritation. Irritation leads to inflammation and inflammation leads to pain.

To treat arthritis, we start with trying to decrease the inflammation. This can be done with Non steroidal anti-inflammatory, and corticosteroids. Depending on the degree of arthritis, decreasing the inflammation to decrease pain is nearly impossible. In the foot and ankle, arthritis is very difficult to combat because we never give our feet time to relax. We are constantly up on our feet and push through pain because we have to. When conservative care fails, many patients ask for surgery.

There are generally two surgical options for foot and ankle arthritis. The joint can be replaced with an artificial joint made of titanium or stainless steel. The joint can also be fused, eliminating motion at the site. Not everyone or every joint is suitable for a joint replacement or a joint fusion. Many are turned off by the thought of having a joint fused, but in many cases it is very suitable for the condition and the patient can quickly adjust. The big toe is a joint that gets fused often and has a very high patient satisfaction rate.

Arthritis can be a very difficult and aggravating disease to combat. In our busy lives and our growing concerns on staying active and healthy, joint pain can really hinder the ability to live life to the fullest. You can however give the weather man a run for his money with those weather predicting joints!!!<