I have been experiencing temporary facial swellings and I suspect that sudden barometric pressure changes are the cause. Does anyone have information on altitude sickness or anything related to this kind of symptom? Any biometeorologist out there with a clue? Thanks.
Eh, I can’t find anything offhand linking simple changes in barometric pressure with facial swelling. Did someone tell you that that was what was causing it, or is that just your own theory?
The peripheral edema (swelling of hands and feet) of mountain sickness doesn’t happen with normal changes of barometric pressure. Otherwise, every time it rained, you’d have thousands, even millions, of people having to be hospitalized. You have to go way up high, in the mountains, before you’d get an air pressure change big enough to cause mountain sickness.
http://www.nols.edu/Publications/FirstAid/AltitudeIllness.html
A more likely explanation for your facial swelling and puffiness would be allergies. Take some over-the-counter antihistamine like Chlortrimeton and see if it goes away.
Unless you underwent actual barotrauma, ie decompression, either explosively above 10,000 or below 120 feet (underwater in the latter case), I don’t think you can blame local barometric fluctuations. Frankly, adrenocortical or kidney disease would be far more likely, and they’re not that likely either. See a doc if this is a problem for you.
Thanks for the replies.
Yes, it is my own theory. I chose to make the post short (I had originally written about 700 words), but I do have circumstantial evidence. It does not happen every time it rains; only when the pressure drops substantially and quickly. I sincerely do not believe it to be an allergic reaction. If you want more detailed information, I could post my original essay. I was mostly fishing for other sufferers to maybe compare notes, but I would appreciate any relevant information.
BTW, “every time it rains”, there are thousands of people who do react physically to the weather (http://www.inforamp.net/~eeyore/mediclim.html http://www.pslgroup.com/dg/15da0a.htm and many others). In fact, certain areas in Europe and the U.S. are now including health watch segments to their weather forecasts and maps to help arthritis and migraine sufferers plan their activities (I had found several links the other day but can’t seem to pick them up again). Biometeorology has also been developed to observe this and other related phenomenon scientifically.
As for seeing a doctor, since this is not the proper place to rant (!), I’ll just say I’d rather come armed with pertinent information - it seems to surprise doctors into listening to me and we can actually begin a dialogue where I can participate in my own health care.
Or, it could be something more conventional, like TMJ .
TMJ --that’s Tongue/Mouth/Jaw Disorder or Symdrome is caused by stress. This causes jaw muscles to swell, teeth to grin and even shift, massive headaches, & facial swelling.
I’ve got TMJ.
I’ve had it several times over the years, & the stress from the last 6 months or so has put it over the top.
You may want to see your dentist or doctor. Both can help with advice & medication.
Sounds nasty, Bosda. Suggestion: If physical exercise or relaxation techniques don’t help with the stress, I find that violent breaking of things gets me over whatever ails my nerves - go buy cheap, second-hand chipped dishes, find yourself a nice brick or cement wall (not a schoolyard, please) and let fly! Of course, clean up after yourself. Hope the next 6 months are gonna be better.
I feel uncomfortable posting an essay, but I guess at this point I might as well give details so no one is misled.
About 10 years ago, in the morning, I experienced a strange swelling of my face – specifically, both upper and lower eyelids, as well as my lips. There was no pain or discoloration, just a very mild numbness. I had recently bought and used a new brand of dryer sheet and assumed it was an allergic reaction (I have never had an allergic reaction to anything in all my life – all tests negative). It was gone the next day. I laundered my clothes again and that was the end of it.
A couple of years ago, the swelling happened again, on a much smaller scale. My eyelid felt very slightly itchy. I rubbed lightly and the eyelid started swelling. (Each eye seems divided in quarters – upper right, lower left, etc.; same with the lips.) No pain, just a minor numbness at the height of the swelling. I had not been in contact with any new soap, shampoo, detergent, food, pet, fungus, etc. – I’m a very routine person and do not change my habits often. Again, it was gone the next day.
Over the last couple of years, this has happened more frequently – my SO and I started to pay attention to circumstances, but nothing too organized. It seemed to happen mostly in Spring and Fall, with several episodes in Summer. We eventually worked on the hypothesis that the swellings occurred when the barometric pressure dropped suddenly; a storm of some kind or unusual weather systems would almost always follow an episode of swelling. Also, this mostly happened on Saturday nights, over by Sunday afternoon. I don’t remember it happening during the week; however, I work in a closed building where the air pressure is artificially controlled (!). Beginning this past Summer, a few hours before the episodes of face swelling, my back would itch very badly and small welts would rise, not necessarily where I scratch. I had attributed this to high humidity levels, but now think it was a new symptom of the same thing.
Two weeks ago, I was taking antibiotics (Amoxil) and on Saturday night, my back started itching something fierce. My SO and I immediately assumed it was a reaction to the antibiotics. I monitored my symptoms and we checked the Internet while I called for medical information. I was told, of course, “It could be that” and “It could be something else” and other highly pertinent and useful statements. I did not experience heart palpitations, swelling of the tongue, difficulty swallowing, dizziness, headache, respiratory difficulties, etc. that usually accompany reactions to this kind of medication. The next morning, the itchy back was gone but my face was swollen, which pissed me off to no end – this being Winter, it had never crossed my mind that it would be that same problem. However, in the afternoon, we had a huge rainstorm, which is very unusual in Montreal at that time of the year – this was just like what we get in the Spring. That clinched it.
We decided to look for information on the Internet – however, the only items that connected to this barometric pressure assumption was some stuff from Altitude Sickness (face swelling) and a little from the Divers’ Bends (itchiness). Can anyone help me on this. I’m not looking for diagnosis – I’m looking for references, similar occurrences, opinions, Web sites, etc. Maybe universities with biometeorology departments have information DBs that are more complete than what I’ve found on the Internet.
My SO and I will soon begin monitoring day-to-day barometric pressure and noting when major drops (or rise?) occur and verify our assumption. If someone else is dealing with this problem, sharing lightens the load, right? Spring is coming and I’m not looking forward to it…
Thanks.
Angel, as a new member, you may not realize that Qadcop is a physician. I’d give his response more weight than something you come across on the net.
Where do you work? Do you enter through an airlock? Another fallacy in your theory is that closed buildings are not sealed and air pressure is not artificially controlled. Interior pressure is the same as the ambient outdoor pressure. Think about it, the pressure differential of a perfectly normal swing of just 10 mb would exert a force of about 350 lbs. or about 160 kg (I see you’re from Canada) on a 76" x 32" door, making it impossible for the average person to open.
[very small nitpick sort of hijack, sorry]
TMJ is actually Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction.
[/very small nitpick sort of hijack, sorry]