It is doubtful that much money should be spent on the study of weather and arthritis since climatic changes play a relatively small role in arthritis symptoms. In addition, there are limited financial resources for arthritis research and there are research areas that are more important. Future studies also should examine the influence of weather changes on mediators of inflammation and not simply readdress whether temperature, humidity and barometric pressure cause arthritis symptoms to get worse. There is some evidence that persons with arthritis have symptoms influenced by changes in the weather. Women may be more sensitive to weather changes than men.
Some people can predict rain.
Changes in humidity, temperature and barometric pressure all have been implicated as factors changing joint pain. There is no evidence that weather changes contribute to joint damage nor is there evidence that weather changes have anything to do with whether an individual gets arthritis in the first place. Thus, rheumatologists rarely recommend that a person move to a different location to change climates. Many of those that have moved have found that it is not worth it. Finally, research dollars are better spent on areas other than the relationship between weather and arthritis.