Can cold weather cause arthritis?

A rain in autumn brings a chill. A rain over the weekend brought winter to Beijing in an instant. Friends who are afraid of cold have quietly put on "life-saving long johns". They believe that wearing long johns and tucking the trouser legs into socks is the minimum respect for winter; if you don't wear long johns, you will not only shiver with cold, but also develop arthritis!

Arthritis is a disease in which the joint cartilage undergoes degenerative changes , often commonly referred to as "bone spurs" or "bone hyperplasia." However, it is not just a change in bones, but also involves the synovium, ligaments, muscles and other soft tissues around the joint bones.

Image source: Healthy China

Arthritis is one of the most common chronic diseases , with more than 100 types. Many factors can cause arthritis, and women are three times more likely to suffer from rheumatoid arthritis than men. The most common type of arthritis is osteoarthritis , a non-infectious inflammatory disease caused by factors such as degeneration or overuse of joints.

According to data released by the World Health Organization, the number of people suffering from osteoarthritis worldwide has exceeded 500 million. Data released by the National Health Commission show that the total prevalence of osteoarthritis in my country is 15%, and it is conservatively estimated that the number of patients exceeds 100 million.

What are the symptoms of arthritis?

Joint pain . The most common symptom of osteoarthritis is joint pain, which is mild at first and gradually worsens. The pain worsens when going up and down stairs or squatting and standing up.

Morning stiffness . Osteoarthritis may cause short-term morning stiffness, which is the stiffness and tightness of the joints when getting up in the morning. It usually lasts from a few minutes to more than ten minutes, and rarely exceeds half an hour.

Dysfunction . Arthritis attacks can cause joint swelling, edema of surrounding tissues, sometimes joint jamming, and often inability to straighten or bend the joints properly, resulting in limited mobility.

Can cold weather cause arthritis?

According to doctors, the direct cause of arthritis is not low temperature , but mainly joint injuries caused by exercise and trauma, aging of articular cartilage, abnormal immune function, etc.

Cold weather will make the symptoms of arthritis more obvious , so not wearing long underwear in cold weather cannot be equated with arthritis.

For patients with arthritis, blood vessels contract when the weather is cold, which is not conducive to blood circulation and the function of soft tissues such as muscles, and can easily aggravate arthritis. Therefore, it is recommended that friends with arthritis keep warm .

How to prevent arthritis?

Exercise properly . Strengthen the muscles around the joints, especially the front thigh muscles, the back calf muscles and the back thigh muscles; for those whose joints are loose, it is recommended to avoid too much joint stretching and focus more on muscle strength rather than joint flexibility.

Avoid injuries . Joint injuries can easily damage the meniscus and ligaments, or even directly damage the cartilage, which can easily lead to the premature onset of osteoarthritis. Long-term, high-intensity exercise can also accelerate joint wear.

Pay attention to weather changes . Especially for people who already have symptoms of joint pain, whether it is arthritis or synovitis, they should try to avoid weather changes that irritate the joints and cause or aggravate inflammation.

Regular check-ups . For those who develop "O" or "X" shaped legs at a young age, it is important to see a doctor promptly. In severe cases, osteotomy surgery is necessary to prevent leg deformities from causing uneven force, which accelerates wear and tear and causes premature arthritis.

comprehensive:

CCTV News: "How to determine whether you have arthritis? How to protect your joint health?"

Healthy China "An autumn rain brings a chill, unhappy joints, and the consequences are very serious"

Healthy China "What diseases can cause joint pain? Is arthritis caused by freezing?"