Trauma Survivors Network - provided by ATS

Survive. Connect. Rebuild.

A Program of the ATS

Barometric Pressures Changes wreak havoc in my body

#1
Barometric Pressures Changes wreak havoc in my body
by Angeela on Nov 02, 2013, 06:23PM

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.

#2
Reply: Barometric Pressures Changes wreak havoc in my body
by EileenFlores on Aug 17, 2018, 08:29PM

Hi, Angeela I am just now reading your post. How are you doing in recovery? Can you share an update? Thinking of you today.