Your Health Under Pressure

How barometric pressure effects your health

Time for a quick science lesson! Barometric pressure is the amount of atmospheric pressure around the Earth. It’s a measure of the weight of the air that presses down on the earth and the barometric air pressure changes with weather or at different altitudes.

Aches and Pains

Barometric pressure affects the body by altering the pressure on our joints and muscles. This can lead to pain or arthritis in some people, while others may feel nothing at all.

According to the Arthritis Foundation (2015), weather can impact our health. In particular, a 10 point drop in temperature, and an increase in barometric pressure can cause arthritic pain.

Migraines

According to the American Migraine Foundation, over a third of people with migraine report that certain weather patterns trigger their headaches, at least some of the time.

Some people experience high-altitude headaches due to changes in barometric pressure, such as during plane travel. Others, who experience migraine headaches or tension-type headaches, find that weather-related changes in pressure trigger the pain and other symptoms.

Beyond chronic pain and arthritis, Barometric pressure can affect people with asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), congestive heart failure, cardiovascular disease, temporomandibular joint syndrome (TMJ), panic disorders, and epilepsy. 

Anxiety and Mood

According to a 1999 study, low barometric pressure is linked to increased emergency psychiatric visits, impulsive behaviors, and acts of violence.

Prevention

When triggering weather patterns are forecasted, planning downtime to reduce stress and fatigue, which can worsen chronic or migraine pain.

Apply an ice pack to your head or neck. Take a warm bath or shower. Practice deep breathing or relaxation techniques. Take a vitamin B-complex. Avoid additional triggers (ie: alcohol, caffeine, bright lights) that can make the headache worse.

Massaging your head may help to relieve your headache by easing the tension in the muscles and improving cranial blood flow. Regular massages may even reduce the frequency of your headaches within 1 week.

Try applying a few drops of peppermint oil to your temples and wrists, and then breathe deeply. The scent of the peppermint may help to ease your headache.