Barometric Pressure & Hormones

Barometric pressure, whether rising or plummeting, appears to have a bearing on medical conditions that involve hormones.

Babies Are Born

• More infants are born when the barometric is low. According to a study performed by the Tokyo Medical University's Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, there is a tendency for a pregnant woman’s fetal membrane to rupture when barometric pressure is low. When barometric pressure is changing, either going up or down, there are more deliveries.

The Connection

• This suggests that barometric pressure may indeed have an impact on a pregnant woman’s hormones. Labor is controlled by various hormones and the autonomic nervous system and can be influenced by the weather.

Meniere's

• Meniere’s disease is an inner ear disorder that causes episodes of vertigo, tinnitus (ringing of the ears), fluctuating hearing loss and pressure in the ear. When the atmospheric pressure changes, symptoms can become worse, according to Alec N. Salt, Ph.D., an associate professor at Washington University School of Medicine.

Release of Hormones

• Pressure sensitive systems in the body are involved in maintaining normal blood volume. These systems release hormones, which affect the function of the kidneys and determine how much fluid is retained or released in a body, regulating a person’s overall blood volume.

Sensitivity

• It is conceivable, although not scientifically proven, that the ear is sensitive to the hormones which exacerbate symptoms that go along with Meniere’s. Research continues to be done on how barometric pressure changes affect the ear and how fluid-balance hormones impact the ear.