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Barometric Pressures Changes wreak havoc in my body

I have been unable to reply to recent posts for a while. I read each new post and felt less alone, but that aloneness increased due to not being able to connect so neither of us felt alone. Today, I remembered that I have to Login in order to post or comment :-\ Such is my life post-accident.

This fall, in Michigan, has been painful. Over the past couple of years I’ve become aware of aches and PAINS significantly increasing around weather changes. This has led me to ponder:

A few years back, my neuropsychologist explained how the barometric pressure is nature’s “ace bandage.” A barometer measures atmospheric pressure, hence the term barometric pressure; atmospheric pressure and barometric pressure are essentially the same thing. Atmospheric pressure accounts for the variance in boiling points of water. Similarly, comparing the effect of atmospheric pressure on the body, is how an ace bandage helps stabilize pressure for an injury to the body.

When the bandage is too loose, pain occurs. When the bandage is too tight, pain occurs. These two pains feel differently in the body. As I become more in tune with the nuances of my pain levels I am noticing a compression pain which feels like a vise grip tightening around specific parts of my body and sometimes my entire body (except my nose – haven’t noticed any pain in my nose). This compression pain is like wearing a too tight ace bandage. With the compression pain, I withdraw, focus inward on breathing, notice very little outside of me, feel like I’m being drawn up into a fetal position emotionally & physically (figuratively). All my energy is consumed with attempting to loosen the grip which strangles areas of my body. Likely, I appear cold, indifferent, self-absorbed, calloused, uninvolved, judgmental, etc.

Another type of pain I notice is as if my skin cannot contain everything underneath it. Everything feels like it is pushing with great force to burst the skin off my body: explosive. This is akin to wearing a too loose ace bandage. I imagine I appear flighty, irresponsible, unfocused, brash, impatient, angry, explosive, hurried, anxious, “bursting at the seams,” etc.

It’s amazing, to me, how the psyche/spirit mimics these two extremes of pain. I would like to determine which direction of barometric pressure (rise or drop) accounts for the compression and explosive pain sensations. Research is a slow process. Personal research seems even slower. I keep a daily accounting of pain levels. These assist my pain management doctor in determining how to best treat my pain medically. The next factor I want to include in this personal research is noting barometric pressure and then correlating this fluctuation with the changes in my pain scale. Anyone know of a professional researcher who wants to pay me for these records? HA HA
Are any of you meteorological professionals who will teach me how to access & interpret barometric pressures?? This is a serious question :-) Seriously.

Please feel free to forward these inquiries. I think my research may benefit anyone who suffers from chronic pains (& chronic disorders) &/or brain injury, regardless of whether the pains/injuries are traumatically induced, hormonally induced, genetically induced, etc. That is my hypothesis anyway.

Reply: Barometric Pressures Changes wreak havoc in my body

Hi Angela-

I just wanted to check in with you, see how you are feeling. I was thinking about you today!

My best,
Liz Wysocki- National TSN Coord.

Reply: Barometric Pressures Changes wreak havoc in my body

Hey Angela! I hope your are fine and Post which you have shared here is very nice and informative. I really like this post. This is post is very helpful for the people. You have done good job. Thanks for sharing such a nice post.

Reply: Barometric Pressures Changes wreak havoc in my body

Thank you, Liz & MatthewJohn! I am amazed how much better I am feeling. My PT started weekly traction on Mondays and my chiropractor started weekly decompression on Wednesdays and I always have acupuncture on Fridays. This combination has significantly healed a couple bulging discs which were pressing nerves in L4, L5, & S-1. I was close to despair from this pain and a negative reaction to a steroid injection. I am praising GOD for bringing me through that period!

Life is never about one single issue being worked through to resolution. That sure would simplify living, wouldn’t it?!? This is not intended to be whining, it is my reality, which I manage most days: my 3 adult children live in Guam, Colorado, and Kalamazoo, MI (1.5 hrs from me, but a PhD student, as well as adjunct college instructor – so busy :) ) + a wasband who creates dissonance from time to time (was a husband, now divorced) + besides my son who is in MI, all of my family lives in NC. Emotional stress (loneliness, aloneness) exacerbates physical pain. More days than not, I manage this well. I volunteer for a couple of non-profs a few hours a week, which helps me keep a healthy perspective that each of us carry burdens. The best we can do is support each other in carrying these burdens.

Liz, thanks for checking in! I hope you are well, also :) MatthewJohn, thank you for informing me that this post is helpful for you. It certainly helps me keeps a proper perspective in knowing that most of the time I cannot control whether pain occurs; I can control how I respond to pain :) Blessings, friends!!
_A

Reply: Barometric Pressures Changes wreak havoc in my body

Hi Angeela,

My body is also extremely sensitive to changes in barometric pressure. My understanding of the phenomenon – which I’ve worked on with my neurologist and orthopedist – is essentially that the extra fluid that your body sends to surround past trauma is (like all other fluid) highly reactive to changes in pressure. Drops in pressure – such as that which precedes rain or other precipitation – cause all fluids to expand, and since the bodily fluid at the trauma site has nowhere to go, it expands and causes pain as it “pushes” with that expansion.

Like you, my docs agree that medicine barely understand what is happening here, they’ve only just progressed from thinking of this as an old wives tale to acknowledging that the pain is real. They also agree that short of putting your body in a barometric chamber for the duration of bad weather, or administering enough drugs to knock you out, they can hardly help ease the pain.

I’ve found a bit of relief recently by using a water pill to reduce any fluid retention that comes with inflammation. It hasn’t erased my symptoms, but these incessant snowstorms in Eastern PA have become a bit more tolerable. Other than that, I just keep an eye on the weather and know that in advance of a big storm I’m going to be in pain. I find that a heat wrap or a dip in warm water helps, but part of me thinks that this is a placebo, and that the pain is still there but since I’m warm and cozy I can tolerate the pain better. It also isn’t very practical to use either of these techniques if you have to be out and about in the world!

I’ve found that the faster moving and heavier an oncoming storm is, the worse my discomfort. Temperature doesn’t seem to matter – hot, cold, it’s the volume of incoming precipitation that matters. I’ve also found that the pain subsides almost as soon as the storm breaks, but that the worst storms can leave me with a lingering “bruised” feeling.

It will be wonderful for all of us when this wicked winter is over!!! Although, we will still have those “April Showers” to endure!

You aren’t alone! I’ve felt so relieved to find this supportive community. We’ll all hang in there together!

Reply: Barometric Pressures Changes wreak havoc in my body

Hi Shannon :-)
THANK YOU for validating my observations/experiences with shifting barometric pressure.
Heating pads help me, also, immensely! On my bed, I use an electric blanket and a heated mattress pad so my body is cocooned in warmth – ahhhhhhh.

I will research/compare the water pill with Naprosyn – thanks for sharing this info!!

One thing that significantly influences pain, for me, is my diet. Over the past couple years, I’ve experimented with foods and how my body feels while consuming, immediately after consuming, and minutes/hours/days later. Gluten increases inflammation. A vegan diet resolves slow digestion caused by meats and meat products. A mostly raw (plant-based) diet makes my body feel whole & well and pain is nominal (barring barometric pressure changes). I can completely control what I choose to eat. Restaurant dining is problematic, unless a raw fare is provided. Vegan foods use processed sugar, which also increases inflammation, for me. Raw, on the other hand, uses only whole, plant-based foods and provides positive energy flow from my brain down

Regular exercise is critical, for me, despite whether I feel like it (I do rest when necessary). Water aerobics, triking (www.terratrike.com), yoga, and even SHOVELING SNOW help (passersby must think I’m weird as I use yoga stretches and tai chi-type movements while shoveling :-) ). I am blessed and grateful that I am capable of shoveling snow – the snow piles on the sides of my driveway are taller than me!!! I’m 5’3" tall – haha

ALSO, I do Laughter Yoga (www.laughteryoga.org) and will be leading LY during Laughfest 2014 in Grand Rapids, MI March 7-16. Laughfest is a major fund-raising event for Gilda’s Club in GR. If anyone reading this will be in the GR area during this time-frame, plan to attend some LY sessions with me (they are free & held at Gilda’s Club). Laughing keeps my spirit fresh. I am smiling while typing this – much gratitude!!

Shannon, I hope sunny, warm days will arrive soon, to stay, for quite a while!! Today’s 49 degrees seemed HOT – I almost complained, at one point, and then reminded myself of two days ago and two days from now re: the frigid temps. Hey, a couple of weeks ago, I walked on top of frozen waves ON Lake Michigan!!!!! I wish I could post pictures here – it was a phenomenal, unbelievable experience – likely, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!!

Blessings Abound!!!
_A

Reply: Barometric Pressures Changes wreak havoc in my body

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Reply: Barometric Pressures Changes wreak havoc in my body

Whitehatsme,

I hope you are well!! Do you recognize that barometric pressure changes affect your pain levels?

Blessings Abound!
_A

Reply: Barometric Pressures Changes wreak havoc in my body

Angeela, I’m pretty sure that post above yours is spam. I’m not a trauma survivor, just my hospital’s TSN coordinator, but I shared your post with one of my patients a few weeks ago. They had the same issue and were wondering if there was any truth to the old wive’s tale about being able to feel storms coming. I said to them, “Hey, look at this, someone’s got this too!” Maybe I’ll get them to post on here someday… but I thought I’d share. -J

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