Pain intensity and barometric pressure closely correlate in Southern Taiwan
- PMID: 17037002
Pain intensity and barometric pressure closely correlate in Southern Taiwan
Abstract
Background: Previous reports suggest that weather changes may affect the attack and pattern of pain. However, a direct relationship between weather and pain attack is yet to be determined, especially when very limited data are currently available in the tropical or subtropical regions.
Methods: We studied the patients who visited our clinic for pain management in Tainan, a city in southern Taiwan, in the space from February 2004 to December 2005. Intensity of pain measured by visual analogue scale (VAS) and the weather conditions including temperature, barometric pressure, humidity and wind speed at the time of measurement, were recorded.
Results: Our results indicate that higher scores of the VAS were associated with older age and lower barometric pressure, while the associations with temperature, humidity and wind speed were not statistically significant.
Conclusions: Our results demonstrate a unique pattern of pain, which varies with barometric pressure, in the subtropical region and may provide reference for better pain intervention during change of weather.
Similar articles
-
Changes in barometric pressure and ambient temperature influence osteoarthritis pain.Am J Med. 2007 May;120(5):429-34. doi: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2006.07.036. Am J Med. 2007. PMID: 17466654
-
Weather conditions can influence rheumatic diseases.Proc West Pharmacol Soc. 2004;47:134-6. Proc West Pharmacol Soc. 2004. PMID: 15633634
-
Influence of weather conditions on rheumatic pain.J Rheumatol. 2002 Feb;29(2):335-8. J Rheumatol. 2002. PMID: 11838853
-
The symptom of pain with pressure ulcers: a review of the literature.Ostomy Wound Manage. 2008 May;54(5):30-40, 42. Ostomy Wound Manage. 2008. PMID: 18493092 Review.
-
Does rain really cause pain? A systematic review of the associations between weather factors and severity of pain in people with rheumatoid arthritis.Eur J Pain. 2011 Jan;15(1):5-10. doi: 10.1016/j.ejpain.2010.05.003. Epub 2010 May 31. Eur J Pain. 2011. PMID: 20570193 Review.
Cited by
-
Meteorological conditions are associated with physical activities performed in open-air settings.Int J Biometeorol. 2008 Jan;52(3):189-97. doi: 10.1007/s00484-007-0110-y. Epub 2007 Jun 14. Int J Biometeorol. 2008. PMID: 17566789
MeSH terms
LinkOut - more resources
Medical