# Rain causing pain **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 18, 2011, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rain-causing-pain/593213 "2011-08-18T20:19:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![obbn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/d6d6ee/32.png) [@obbn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obbn)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2011, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rain-causing-pain/593213/1 "2011-08-18T20:19:48Z")
Hello Again, Why when ever it rains I am like a human barometer? I can feel it hours before it gets here and am in practically a fetal position during and after. I have had my back fused, if that helps. I know that this is common, but the only answer I ever get is “just because”. I am assuming it is the barometric pressure dropping that causes something to happen inside the body to make injuries, arthritis, etc… hurt. ---
**Author:** ![randomface](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5fc32e/32.png) [@randomface](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randomface)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2011, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rain-causing-pain/593213/2 "2011-08-18T20:36:19Z")
IANAD, but if I had to take a wild stab at it, I might go with something along the lines of decreasing pressure will change the solubility of dissolved gases in your bodily fluids. Changing pressure could produce very small bubbles in some of your joints, or could dissolve bubbles that are currently there. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2011, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rain-causing-pain/593213/3 "2011-08-18T21:18:05Z")
Lemme guess: You live mainly in Spain. ---
**Author:** ![obbn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/d6d6ee/32.png) [@obbn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obbn)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2011, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rain-causing-pain/593213/4 "2011-08-18T22:08:02Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > Lemme guess: You live mainly in Spain. Nope, Florida. Just as much rain and much more Spanish language than Spain. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2011, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rain-causing-pain/593213/5 "2011-08-18T23:45:54Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > Lemme guess: You live mainly in Spain. The pain from rain is mainly in my brain? ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2011, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rain-causing-pain/593213/6 "2011-08-19T01:23:14Z")
> [@obbn](#): > > Nope, Florida. Just as much rain and much more Spanish language than Spain. Florida’s about as hilly as the average counter top, implying your pain in the rain occurs mainly on the plain. Anyway, yeah, it’s all to do with barometric pressure and gasses in your joints and/or blood being forced into or out of solution. You might want to ask a physician if it is really serious, or if you desire to travel by plane. ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2011, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rain-causing-pain/593213/7 "2011-08-19T07:05:54Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#): > > The pain from rain is mainly in my brain? _chuckle_ ---
**Author:** ![phreesh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@phreesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phreesh)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2011, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rain-causing-pain/593213/8 "2011-08-19T16:05:10Z")
I think the answer is plain, you may be insane. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2011, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rain-causing-pain/593213/9 "2011-08-19T17:56:37Z")
[moderating] I was considering moving this thread, but **obbn** is trying to ask a legitimate question (which does not constitute requesting medical advice). **Derleth** , **John DiFool** , **phreesh** , would you please respect that and hold off on the jokes until we get some more serious answers? I’m not trying to be a killjoy, but GQ is about answering people’s questions, not making fun of their questions. And I know you’re just trying to be cute, **phreesh** , but “you may be insane” is an insult. If you don’t mean it that way, try a smiley or something. Thank you. No warnings issued. [/moderating] ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2011, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rain-causing-pain/593213/10 "2011-08-19T20:09:38Z")
[quote=“Gary “Wombat” Robson, post:9, topic:593213”] [moderating] I was considering moving this thread, but **obbn** is trying to ask a legitimate question (which does not constitute requesting medical advice). **Derleth** , **John DiFool** , **phreesh** , would you please respect that and hold off on the jokes until we get some more serious answers? I’m not trying to be a killjoy, but GQ is about answering people’s questions, not making fun of their questions. And I know you’re just trying to be cute, **phreesh** , but “you may be insane” is an insult. If you don’t mean it that way, try a smiley or something. Thank you. No warnings issued. [/moderating] [/QUOTE] I understand your disdain. I will refrain from this rhyming campaign, lest others complain about answers not quite germane. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2011, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rain-causing-pain/593213/11 "2011-08-20T01:06:26Z")
But what is it about wounds? I’m curious to know as well. I once injured my leg quite badly, nothing broken, with in a couple of days I was hobbling around and able to stand, not for hours, but still. Then a huge storm system blew into town. Holy Hannah, I was in agony. I could not stand - at all, the throbbing was unbearable. Suddenly I found myself off my feet again, until the storm system passed, then I was along the road to recovery again. Very curious. What is that? Is it barometric pressure changes? ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2011, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rain-causing-pain/593213/12 "2011-08-20T01:09:53Z")
> [@Enderw24](#): > > I understand your disdain. I will refrain from this rhyming campaign, lest others complain about answers not quite germane. A most tender “thank you,” Mr. Ender (that _is_ your gender?). This now will render warnings unnecessary, so I can grab my Fender and go off on a bender. _hic_ FREEBIRD! ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2011, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rain-causing-pain/593213/13 "2011-08-20T16:38:46Z")
A year and a half ago, I snapped off the top of my left wristbone, and the piece came to rest two inches below the top of said bone. Whenever it rains, I feel like a steel bad is around the spot the bone ame to rest when it snapped off. ---
**Author:** ![StaudtCJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@StaudtCJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StaudtCJ)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2011, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rain-causing-pain/593213/14 "2011-08-21T04:48:54Z")
I remember reading somewhere that some study had chalked it up to confirmation bias. If your joints don’t hurt, you’re not going to notice that “hey, the weather’s awful and I don’t hurt”. When you do hurt, and it’s sunny, you’re not going to blame hurt on the weather, because the weather is pleasant. When you don’t like the weather, and the joints hurt, then you’ll blame the weather. I know there was some other study that studied artificially induced inflammation in rat feet, and it concluded that already-inflamed joints got larger/more inflamed when the pressure dropped, much like a balloon in a vacuum. I was reading e-how or webMD or some such. I’ll try to find the page(s) again. However, it seems that the medical/scientific establishment has not conclusively determined the presence of the phenomena, or its potential cause. ETA: Here’s a link to an Ehow article [http://www.ehow.com/about\_5368665\_do-joints-ache-weather-changes.html](http://www.ehow.com/about_5368665_do-joints-ache-weather-changes.html) that must have been the one I read. It’s barely referenced. However, the phenomena is well-known enough that [weather.com](http://weather.com) has a national aches-and-pains map. ---
**Author:** ![obbn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/d6d6ee/32.png) [@obbn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obbn)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2011, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rain-causing-pain/593213/15 "2011-08-21T05:40:32Z")
> [@StaudtCJ](#): > > However, the phenomena is well-known enough that [weather.com](http://weather.com) has a national aches-and-pains map. Well, I guess it’s official now. I am getting old (44), read your post and was instantly interested in seeing the map. Oh Lord, when did this happen?