Why Your Arthritis is Worse in Winter and How Joint Injections Can Help

Rather than a single condition, arthritis encompasses several diseases that affect the joints in your body. The condition leads to joint pain and inflammation and often worsens in the morning and over the cold winter months.

Although arthritis can be debilitating, plenty of treatments can help, including cutting-edge joint injections. These injections help to ease your discomfort and can even slow the progression of arthritis.

If you're suffering from arthritis symptoms, especially in winter, the team at Prudent Medical Providers can help. Our three experienced nurse practitioners provide you with the latest treatments to ease your arthritis discomfort.

Arthritis in winter: Why is it worse?

Arthritis affects your joints no matter the time of year, but it's often a little worse in the winter. If being cold and dreary wasn't enough, the winter months might have you feeling more stiff and uncomfortable than you're used to.

There are several reasons why arthritis may flare up in the winter. A few include:

Barometric pressure

Barometric pressure measures the amount of air pressure in the atmosphere. Your joints are sensitive to changes in barometric pressure, especially during the winter.

When the barometric pressure drops, it causes the tendons and muscles around your joint to expand. The expanded tissues put even more pressure on your swollen joint, worsening your symptoms.

Decreased circulation

When you're cold, your body shunts blood from your extremities to your vital organs to keep your core warm. While this is great for your organ health, it's not so good for your joints.

Decreased circulation to the joints in your arms, hands, feet, and legs causes stiffness and pain, as the joints aren't getting enough oxygenated blood.

Increased sensitivity to pain

The synovial fluid in your joints becomes thicker and flows less freely in the cold months. The change in barometric pressure paired with the cold makes you more likely to feel pain and discomfort.

Your joints are susceptible to changes in temperature, and you may know when a cold front is coming because your joints will be more painful and stiff.

What joint injections help arthritis symptoms?

If you have a hard time coping with your arthritis over the winter months, our team offers joint injections to provide you with quick and efficient relief. A few of the cutting-edge joint injections we offer include:

Corticosteroids

Corticosteroids are strong anti-inflammatory medications that we inject into the affected joint. The corticosteroid goes to work right away, decreasing pain by managing the inflammatory process in your joints.

Hyaluronic acid

Hyaluronic acid injections are similar to the fluid that helps lubricate your joints. Osteoarthritis breaks down your body's natural fluid, causing joint friction and inflammation. Hyaluronic acid injections restore lubrication within your joints, allowing them to move more freely with less pain.

PRP

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is a type of regenerative medicine injection that uses the platelets in your blood to heal your joints. Platelets contain vital growth factors that restore and rebuild damaged tissues.

Stem cells

Stem cells are another type of regenerative medicine injection that can use your body's most basic cells to regenerate tissues in your damaged joint. Stem cells are the only cells in your body that can transform into other cells you need.

When we inject stem cells into an arthritic joint, the cells can develop into muscle, cartilage, bone, or tendon cells to repair years of damage.

Easing your arthritis in the cold

While joint injections are highly effective at relieving arthritis pain, you can take some other steps over the winter to reduce your discomfort. A few of the tips we offer for healthy joints over the winter include:

• Keeping active
• Dressing appropriately
• Staying warm
• Getting adequate vitamin D
• Using compression gloves
• Getting a massage
• Taking a warm bath

If you're utilizing the above tips and your joint pain worsens, contact us as soon as possible to get customized treatment for your joint pain.

Don't suffer from arthritis pain any time of year. Call Prudent Medical Providers at our convenient locations in Federal Way and Tacoma, Washington. You may also use the convenient online appointment scheduling feature, or send the team a message right here on our website.