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Weather & Nerve Damage

Nerve damage, or neuropathy, can affect many different nerves in your body, including motor nerves, sensory nerves and autonomic nerves. The onset of nerve pain from neuropathy can have many potential causes, including weather changes.

  1. Nerve Damage

    • One type of nerve damage, peripheral neuropathy, is a widespread, painful condition with more than 100 diagnosed varieties. According to the Neuropathy Association, more than 20 million people in the U.S. suffer from some type of peripheral neuropathy as of 2010.

    Nerve Pain

    • According to the Mayo Clinic, the nerve pain of peripheral neuropathy can be worsened by a number of factors, including vitamin deficiency, trauma or pressure on the nerve and repetitive stress movements that involve the nerve. Weather changes may also be a factor.

    Hippocrates

    • According to a Weather and Health article on “Acknowledging the Weather/Health Link,” Hippocrates—often considered the Father of Modern Medicine—noted the effect of “hot and cold winds” on illness and pain in 400 BC.

    Weather and Nerve Pain

    • Hippocrates aside, however, there is no concrete scientific evidence that connects weather changes and nerve pain, only anecdotal evidence. Yet many who suffer nerve pain continue to believe weather and barometric pressure are factors in the onset and severity of their nerve pain.

    Barometric Pressure

    • Barometric pressure is literally the weight of the air. A Weather.com article on weather-influenced aches and pains cites rising and falling barometric pressure as potential contributions to nerve pain.

    Humidity

    • Humidity—the amount of water per unit of air—could also contribute to weather-related nerve pain, according to Weather.com. When humidity increases, there is increased potential for some types of nerve pain, according to Weather.com; a decrease (cold, dry air) may trigger migraine nerve pain.

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