Why Does My Back Ache During Rainy Weather?

People who experience lower back pain during rainy days are generally those who engage in physical labor for a long time. These individuals often have excessive dampness and coldness in their bodies. When humidity and temperature drop, they may experience lower back soreness and pain. In addition, patients with lumbar muscle strain, rheumatic low back pain, rheumatoid arthritis, and scapulohumeral periarthritis may also experience lower back pain during rainy days. Therefore, for mutual lower back pain, physical therapies such as acupuncture or cupping can be chosen for treatment.

Some people may experience lower back soreness and pain during rainy weather. This is often related to prolonged sitting, standing, or incorrect posture. It may be due to lumbar muscle strain or lumbar vertebra pathology. It is recommended to avoid bending over frequently, avoid excessive exertion, and keep warm.

The symptoms of rheumatic low back pain include soreness and heaviness in the waist, as if a heavy object is pressing down. The pain may worsen during exertion or rainy weather and improve during sunny or warm weather. Humid climates can exacerbate the pain.

Patients with rheumatic diseases may have impaired neural function in the joints and surrounding blood vessels, resulting in slow and incomplete vasodilation and vasoconstriction, as well as delayed changes in skin temperature. The increased humidity during damp weather can increase the sensitivity of joint nerves, especially for those with rheumatic low back pain, who may experience a significant increase in pain.

Cold weather can slow blood flow and even temporarily cause blood clots. Additionally, as the temperature decreases, cold globulin coagulation and an increase in hyaluronic acid content in synovial fluid can lead to increased viscosity of synovial fluid, which increases resistance to joint movement. Therefore, some people may experience discomfort in their lower back during cloudy weather.

According to traditional Chinese medicine, low back pain caused by blockages in meridians is often due to external invasion of dampness and coldness, which accumulates in the meridians of the waist and causes pain. During rainy weather, the dampness and coldness within the body correspond with the dampness in the external environment, which can exacerbate the invasion of dampness and result in lower back pain on cloudy days. However, when these patients are in a dry and warm environment, their lower back pain can be significantly relieved or even disappear.