Does a change in weather cause your PMR to flare?

Posted by jsteck @jsteck, 1 day ago

I woke up in the middle of last night because our dog is afraid of storms and was whining. Well, now I think I am too. This is the third time in as many weeks that I have had a difficult day when it has been storming. Is it in my head or do others here experience the same thing?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) Support Group.

Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | 20 hours ago

@jsteck, a few other members have mentioned weather in relation to the PMR flaring. See these related discussions:
- Can pmr worsen with weather: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/can-pmr-worsen-with-weather/
- PMR in cold or inclement weather https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/pmr-3/

Is there anything else along with a storm that could contribute to a flare, like poor sleep?

jsteck | @jsteck | 9 hours ago

Colleen, thank you for your response. I read the posts. I think sleep, or lack thereof, could definitely be a contributor. I woke up in pain and had a hard time getting back to sleep. Chicken or the egg thing. With the storms, the night before last and yesterday, I had pain all day in my shoulders and stiffness in my hips. Tonight I start Methotrexate. I hope that will help.

dlb3 | @dlb3 | 5 hours ago

Whenever the barometric pressure changes whether it goes up or down I seem to have more polymyalgia pain. I do watch barometric pressure levels daily. Also, the winter months seem to be more difficult for me. I live in Illinois.
I have been off of prednisone for one year now. Never a day without pain however, it is manageable with over-the-counter pain meds.

sandiw77 | @sandiw77 | 5 hours ago

I have noticed for the past few years that I am in more pain when storms are in the area. I often joke with my family that I should have been a weather girl because my pain is an accurate predictor of the weather. I think it is arthritis in general, not just PMR. I agree that it is reflective of changes in barometric pressure. I would love to have regular access to a dry sauna. ❤️