Pressure-Induced Pains - Fact or Fiction?

johnstein asks: "Sure, everyone knows that person who is always blaming their aches and pains on the weather, be it Gramps and his knee, Aunt Edna with her arthritic hands, or *that* guy at work who swears his big toe begins to throbs whenever it's going to rain. Ok, maybe I am one those people too. I've had exactly TWO migraine-class headaches in the past month: the evening of August 9th and the afternoon of August 17th. Googling produced a very useful website that provides historical weather data. After a bit of searching I found this chart that clearly shows similar barometric trends for the days in question (barometric pressure near 30 inches and rising). Is this just a coincidence? My googling suggests that while some believe the human body is highly sensitive to weather changes, others claim that the minute changes in barometric pressure would unlikely be a cause for pain in the head or joints. While stress, eating habits, and general lifestyle might be a more likely candidate, can weather claim some of the blame as well?"

Comments

Weather absolutely has an affect.

[Nagatzhul]

I notice is more with sinuses and allergies, but it is also there with a wrist I crushed a few years ago. All materials respond in some way to pressure, temperature, and moisture. Why would the human body be any different, especially with a need to maintain a certain internal environment?

The body is a complex, sensitive machine

[chia_monkey]

The body (both human and animal) is much more complex and sensitive than most people give credit for. There are reasons horses and dogs and such will go nuts before earthquakes. It's not because they are magic, but because they can sense it coming. Let's not forget, we have five senses that we know of. The pressure will be one of them (touch).

Unfortunately, over the years we have come to rely less and less on our own natural abilities to sense things. Our sense of vision isn't nearly as strong as years ago. And if it goes, get glasses. Smell? Our noses are being bombarded by smells every day, but more importantly we don't rely on it to protect us from a nearby predator. Same with our sense of hearing. We care more about music than the rustling in the bushes.

And this is all simply us adapting AWAY from being sensitive. You'll find some people are sensitive and in tune with their body. And being in tune, listening to your body and what it says, will have you feeling things others can't.