Winter is coming—think you can feel it in your bones? You might not be crazy.

For many arthritis patients, cold weather can, in theory, lead to increased pain, joint stiffness, and other symptoms. Whether via the cooling weather itself, or the oft-coinciding drop in barometric pressure that can swell inflamed arthritic joints and stretch the inflamed joint lining and capsules, almost 93 percent of arthritis patients report fluctuations in pain levels alongside seasonal weather changes.

According to a study done at Johns Hopkins University of 151 people with osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia, patients in all three groups dealt with increased pain on low temperature days. Additionally, rheumatoid arthritis patients reported increased pain alongside high humidity and high pressure; osteoarthritis patients blamed high humidity; and fibromyalgia blamed high pressure.

Time to consider a career in meteorology then, right?

Unfortunately, another Hopkins study of elderly patients in Florida matched arthritis pain levels with daily temperature, barometric pressure and precipitation for two years, and found almost no significant association between weather factors and arthritic pain.

Conflicting science like this can be maddening, especially to people for whom the symptoms — especially pain — are all too immune to debate.

Thankfully, the meteorologists at Accuweather.com launched an arthritis index, making it easy for patients to monitor factors like temperature, atmospheric pressure, precipitation and humidity that many people believe directly influence their symptoms. (Also check out The Weather Channel’s section on weather-influenced pain).

The best idea is to use tools like Accuweather’s to track weather factors, and then figure out what most effects you. Then consider our warming arthritis pain relief cream with capsaicin or cooling arthritis pain relief cream for times when pain increases, and preventative methods like regular stretching and exercise when pain decreases again.

Check out our joint health guide for more information.