Health
The truth about why you feel more aches and pains in the cold weather — and what to do about it
As the weather transitions from warm to chilly to downright cold, you may notice that you feel a bit achier — and medical evidence suggests it’s more that it’s more than just a feeling of the winter blues.
Doctors shared insights into why and how the cold weather affects your body — and what you can do to lessen the aches and pains as we approach the winter season.
There is a common notion that weather influences chronic musculoskeletal pain, said Sarah Lee, M.D., an emergency medicine physician at the University of Maryland Medical Center – Midtown Campus in Baltimore City, Maryland, who also serves as an instructor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.
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“Many people report colder weather seems to make body aches and joint pain flare up, especially those who suffer with arthritis,” Dr. Lee told Fox News Digital.
“Although medical research has been conducted on the topic, there is overall poor evidence to support a clear association between colder weather and musculoskeletal pain.”
A person cycles through the snow in London last Dec. “Many people report colder weather seems to make body aches and joint pain flare up, especially those who suffer with arthritis,” said one doctor. (Victoria Jones/PA via AP)
This is due to the difficulty in measuring pain, she said, given the subjective nature of severity, as well as the many variables of weather including temperature, humidity and atmospheric pressure.
There is a theory that when the barometric pressure drops in a cold winter, our tendons and muscles may expand in our confined joint spaces, which may lead to a flareup of joint pain, she said.
What’s actually causing the aches and pains?
Ryan A. Harrell, D.O., an orthopedic adult reconstruction surgeon at Novant Health Orthopedics & Sports Medicine in Supply, North Carolina, who specializes in joint conditions of the hip and knee, said that if you experience increased aches and pains during this time of the year, you are not alone.
“Cold and rainy weather have been associated with stiff, achy joints and pain,” he said.
“The constriction of blood vessels decreases blood flow to muscles and joints. This reduction in circulation may make your joints more prone to pain and stiffness” in the cold weather, said one expert. (iStock)
While research is still being done on the topic, here are some potential theories, according to Dr. Harrell, as to why cold weather may affect your joints and increase your pain.
Synovial fluid thickening. Synovial fluid is the lubrication in your joints much like as oil is the lubrication for your engine, Dr. Harrell explained. Its role is both lubrication and cushioning of the joint.
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“In colder temperatures, it is believed that the synovial fluid thickens and becomes less viscous. This leads to less cushioning and lubrication leading to stiffness and pain,” Dr. Harrell told Fox New Digital.
Constriction of blood vessels. Temperatures cause the constriction of blood vessels in an attempt to conserve body temperature.
“The constriction of blood vessels decreases blood flow to muscles and joints. This reduction in circulation may make your joints more prone to pain and stiffness,” he said.
A woman walks toward the Brooklyn Bridge near City Hall during a snow storm on Saturday, Jan. 29, 2022, in New York. (AP Photo/Brittainy Newman)
Decreased barometric pressure. There seems to be a link between decreased barometric pressure and achy joints — some people are more sensitive to changes in barometric pressure during cold and rainy weather, Dr. Harrell said.
“The decrease in barometric pressure leads to expansion of tissue, such as muscle and tendon — leading to increased pain in confined spaces such as joints,” he noted.
A decrease in activity seen during the winter months leads to decreased blood flow to the joints, as well as stiffness.
Increased nerve sensitivity. Those who suffer from achy joints or arthritis already have sensitive nerves. Worn out cartilage in arthritis exposes more of these sensitive nerves, he stated.
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“Cold weather results in hypersensitivity of these nerves, leading to increased pain,” Dr. Harrell told Fox News Digital.
Higher humidity. Dr. Harrell said there seems to be a link to higher humidity, along with cold temperatures, as possibly being more harmful to bone and cartilage cells in your joint.
It’s easier to remember to drink water and stay hydrated when the weather is sunny and hot — but getting adequate water intake is just as important in winter. “Dehydration is associated with joints stiffening up and can make joint pain worse,” said one health expert. (iStock)
Inactivity. A decrease in activity seen during the winter months, said Harrell, leads to decreased blood flow to the joints as well as stiffness. This can lead to increased pain.
How to combat the winter aches and pains
Stick to healthy habits. In order to address these aches and pains, Dr. Lee with the University of Maryland Medical Center said it’s generally recommended that people continue healthy habits, including getting good sleep and eating a healthy diet.
Stay hydrated. Predictably, it’s easier to remember to drink water and stay hydrated when the weather is sunny and hot — but getting adequate water intake is just as important in winter.
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“Dehydration is associated with joints stiffening up and can make joint pain worse,” she noted.
Keep active. Gentle exercise such as walking is recommended to stretch and loosen the joints.
“This also helps build bone strength over time and prevents chronic musculoskeletal pain,” said Dr. Lee.
No matter the weather, it’s generally recommended that people continue healthy habits, including getting regular exercise, getting a good night’s sleep and eating healthy foods, say experts. (iStock)
If aches and pains persist, she said over-the-counter medications such as ibuprofen (Motrin or Advil) may be helpful.
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Improve your mood. Dr. Harrell with Novant Health Orthopedics & Sports Medicine said emotional well-being has been linked to decreased pain, as has been shown after joint replacement surgery.
“Finding activities that improve your mood and make you happy during the cold winter months can help alleviate some of your pain.”
“Finding activities that improve your mood and make you happy during the cold winter months can help alleviate some of your pain,” he said.
Stay warm. Keeping warm may combat some of the aggravating factors that cold temperatures play on joint pain, Dr. Harrell reported.
“This includes dressing in warm clothing and layering, electric blankets, heating pads, warm baths or showers — and increasing the heat in your car or home,” he said.
For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a ban this week on red dye No. 3, or erythrosine, from foods and oral medications due to a potential cancer risk.
Food manufacturers have until Jan. 2027 to remove the dye (Red 3) from their products, and drug manufacturers have until Jan. 2028, the Associated Press reported.
The dye was removed from cosmetics nearly 35 years ago for the same cancer-related concerns.
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Following the Wednesday announcement of the new ban, nutritionists and other health experts applauded the removal of the additives from America’s food supply.
Los Angeles-based registered dietitian nutritionist Ilana Muhlstein shared excitement about the FDA “finally” banning the synthetic dye that has been in candy, cereals and strawberry-flavored drinks for “far too long.”
Red 3 can be found in a variety of food products, most commonly candies and colorful sweets. (iStock)
“What is wild is that this decision comes over three decades after the same dye was banned in cosmetics like lipstick because there was enough evidence linking it to cancer in animals,” she told Fox News Digital.
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“For years, consumer advocacy groups and researchers have pushed for this change, citing not only cancer risks but also potential links to hyperactivity and ADHD in kids.”
Certified holistic nutritionist and The Power of Food Education founder Robin DeCicco, based in New York, commented that “it’s about time” Red 3 was banned.
A certified holistic nutritionist (not pictured) warned that red dye No. 3 appears in some products that “you’d never expect.” (iStock)
“It never made sense to me why the dye was taken out of lipsticks and blushes 30 years ago but has been allowed to be in our food supply,” she reiterated to Fox News Digital. “There has been evidence of the dye causing cancer in rats for decades.”
“Our kids deserved better, and it’s frustrating that it took this long for action to be taken.”
While the ban is an “obvious win for public health,” she still feels “frustrated” that it took so long, she said.
“The FDA became aware of the risks in the 1980s, and other countries, like those in the EU, banned red dye No. 3 years ago,” she noted. “Yet big food manufacturers lobbied hard to delay this decision because these artificial dyes are cheap, convenient and profitable.”
Red dye No. 3 is often used in strawberry flavoring, according to experts. (iStock)
The dye was commonly used in products that are primarily marketed to children, she noted, such as colorful lollipops, candies and breakfast cereals.
“Our kids deserved better, and it’s frustrating that it took this long for action to be taken,” Muhlstein added.
‘Stay informed’
The ban is a “step forward,” but Muhlstein said it’s also a reminder to “stay informed about what we’re feeding our families.”
Red dye No. 3 is included in other products that aren’t so obvious, including some pre-packaged vegan meats, fruit cups, mini muffin snacks, mashed potatoes, yellow rice and sugar-free water flavors, according to experts.
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DeCicco encouraged consumers to always read the ingredient label and to look for natural replacements for these products.
The dye was commonly used in products that are primarily marketed to children, such as colorful lollipops, candies and breakfast cereals. (iStock)
“It’s not about deprivation or restriction – I always say it’s about eating foods with high-quality ingredients,” she said. “The ingredients matter more than anything else, and they’re out there.”
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“I have worked with many families with kids who have ADHD, and removing sugar and artificial food dyes and additives can in some cases lessen symptoms (as one part of treatment),” DeCicco added.
Colorful food without carcinogens
While nutritionists recommend that consumers stay away from foods that contain red dye or erythrosine on the label, there are healthier, natural alternatives to keep food fun.
Using alternatives for red dye like pomegranate juice or fruit powder can keep food fun, according to nutritionists. (iStock)
Muhlstein recommended adding 1 to 2 tablespoons of pomegranate juice to a baking recipe, such as vanilla cake, to give the batter a natural red hue.
She also suggested mixing crushed-up, freeze-dried strawberries into white frosting or whipped cream.
“Beetroot powder, hibiscus powder and even mashed raspberries are great alternatives, too,” she added.
Fox News Digital’s Melissa Rudy contributed reporting.
My mother is hypercritical of my brother’s wife, to the point that she blames my sister-in-law for my brother’s “failings” (not getting a better job, not taking better care of his health, etc.). It has gotten worse now that there are grandchildren. My mother constantly criticizes how my sister-in-law is raising the kids, who are lovely and adore their grandparents.
Although my mother will occasionally raise criticisms with my sister-in-law and brother, I am mostly her audience.
I have a great relationship with my sister-in-law, and when my mother goes off on one of her rants, I defend her. I tell my mother how lucky she is to have such wonderful grandchildren, and point out that my brother is an adult who makes his own decisions. This just leads to an argument between my mother and me.
When I finally told my mother how much it hurts me to hear her say these things about my sister-in-law, she said that she needed to air her frustrations with someone. I want to be there for my mother, but I don’t like being put in this position. How do I navigate this?
From the Therapist: The short answer to your question is that you can navigate this by no longer engaging in these conversations. But I imagine you already know this. What you might be less aware of is that you aren’t being “put in this position” of supportive daughter, protective sister-in-law and unwilling confidante. You’ve chosen it, and it’s worth examining why you’ve signed up for a job you don’t want — and what makes it hard to resign.
Usually when we find ourselves repeatedly engaging in uncomfortable family patterns, it’s because they echo familiar roles from our childhood. It sounds as if you’re struggling with enmeshment, a relationship pattern in which boundaries between family members become blurred or are nonexistent.
Think of enmeshment as being like two trees that have grown so close together that their branches have become intertwined. While this might look like closeness, it actually prevents either tree from growing in a healthy way. In your case, your mother’s emotions and grievances have become so entangled with your own emotional life that it’s hard to distinguish where her feelings end and yours begin.
You mention wanting to “be there” for your mom even though these conversations hurt you. Many adult children who struggle to say no to their parents grew up serving as their parents’ emotional support system, or absorbing their parents’ feelings, even at the expense of their own. When you told your mother how much her venting hurt you, she responded not by acknowledging your feelings, but by asserting her need to “air her frustrations.” Her response reveals something important: She sees you as a vessel for her emotional overflow rather than as someone with valid feelings of your own. And yet, despite your hurt, you’re still more concerned about her feelings than yours.
You’re asking how to navigate this situation, but I think the deeper question is: How can you begin to value your own emotional needs?
You can start by reframing what it means to make a reasonable request, which is essentially what setting a boundary is. A boundary isn’t about pushing someone away. Instead, it’s about making a bid for connection. It’s saying: “I want to feel good being close to you, but when you do X, it makes me want to avoid you. Help me come closer.”
Establishing a boundary consists of three steps:
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State the issue and the desire to come closer (what will make this possible): “Mom, I love you and want to support you, but these conversations about my sister-in-law put me in an impossible position and make me want to avoid talking with you, which I know isn’t what either of us wants. I’m happy to talk about other things together, but in order to keep our relationship strong, I need this topic to be off limits.”
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Set the boundary (what you will do): “If you’re struggling with their choices, I’m happy to support you in finding a therapist who can help you work through these feelings. But if you bring up these frustrations with me, I’m going to end the conversation and we can talk another time about other things.”
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Hold the boundary (do what you say): A boundary isn’t about what the other person will or won’t do. A boundary is a contract with yourself. If you say you’ll end the conversation when your mom brings up your sister-in-law, you need to hold that boundary every single time. If you end the conversation only 90 percent of the time, then why would the other person honor your request when 10 percent of the time, you can’t honor it yourself? Honoring your request might sound like: “Mom, I’m going to end the conversation now because I’m not comfortable talking about my sister-in-law. I love you, and we’ll talk later.”
If you start to feel guilty, remember that just because someone sends you guilt doesn’t mean you have to accept delivery. Remind yourself that when you become your mother’s outlet for criticism of your sister-in-law, you’re participating in a cycle that strains loyalties and causes you personal distress. And keep in mind that being a good daughter means setting boundaries that encourage our parents to grow, rather than enabling patterns that harm our family relationships.
Want to Ask the Therapist? If you have a question, email askthetherapist@nytimes.com. By submitting a query, you agree to our reader submission terms. This column is not a substitute for professional medical advice.
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A major annual cancer report has revealed a mix of good news and points of concern.
Cancer diagnoses are expected to exceed two million in 2025, with approximately 618,120 deaths predicted, according to the American Cancer Society’s annual cancer trends report, which was published today in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians.
ACS researchers compiled data from central cancer registries and from the National Center for Health Statistics.
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While mortality rates have declined, certain groups are seeing a spike in diagnoses, the report noted.
Cancer diagnoses are expected to exceed two million in 2025, with approximately 618,120 deaths predicted. (iStock)
“Continued reductions in cancer mortality because of drops in smoking, better treatment and earlier detection is certainly great news,” said lead author Rebecca Siegel, senior scientific director of surveillance research at the ACS in Georgia, in a press release.
“However, this progress is tempered by rising incidences in young and middle-aged women, who are often the family caregivers, and a shifting cancer burden from men to women, harkening back to the early 1900s, when cancer was more common in women.”
Overall decline in death rates
Cancer death rates dropped 34% between 1991 and 2022, according to the ACS report.
That equates to approximately 4.5 million deaths avoided due to early detection, reductions in smoking, and improvements in treatment, the report stated.
Cancer death rates dropped 34% between 1991 and 2022.
Several factors likely contributed to this decline, noted John D. Carpten, Ph.D., chief scientific officer at City of Hope, a national cancer research and treatment organization in California.
“I think a big one is smoking cessation and the battle against lung cancer, which has always been the most common form of cancer and is tied to tobacco use,” Carpten told Fox News Digital in an on-camera interview.
“Screening programs are a critical component of early detection, and expanding access to these services will save countless lives.” (iStock)
“But without a doubt, I think new and better methods for early detection, and screening for colorectal cancer and other forms of the disease, have also allowed us to see a decrease.”
Lifestyle improvements have also helped to decrease mortality, he said, along with the development of new and better therapies for cancer.
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Despite overall declines in mortality, the report revealed that death rates are rising for cancers of the oral cavity, pancreas, uterine corpus and liver (for females).
Some common cancers have also seen an increase in diagnoses, including breast (female), prostate, pancreatic, uterine corpus, melanoma (female), liver (female) and oral cancers associated with the human papillomavirus, the report stated.
Increased diagnoses among certain groups
Diagnoses for many cancer types are increasing among certain groups.
Cancer rates for women 50 to 64 years of age have surpassed those for men, the report revealed. For women under 50, rates are 82% higher than males in that age group.
The report revealed that diagnoses of colorectal cancer in men and women under 65 and cervical cancer in women between 30 and 44 years of age has increased. (iStock)
As far as what is influencing the “disconcerting trend” in women’s cancers, Carpten said it is likely “highly nuanced” and will require additional research.
“The decrease in fertility and increases in obesity that we’ve seen are risk factors for breast cancer, especially in postmenopausal middle-aged women,” he said.
“But there could be other modifiable risk factors at play, like alcohol and physical activity.”
Cancer rates for women 50 to 64 years of age have surpassed those for men.
Another trend in the increase in early cancers is occurring in individuals under the age of 50, Carpten noted.
In particular, the report revealed that diagnoses of colorectal cancer in men and women under 65 and cervical cancer in women between 30 and 44 years of age has increased.
Some common cancers have also seen an increase in diagnoses, including breast (female), prostate, pancreatic, uterine corpus, melanoma (female), liver (female) and oral cancers associated with the human papillomavirus. (iStock)
The report also discusses inequities in cancer rates among certain ethnic groups, with Native American and Black people experiencing higher diagnoses of some cancer types.
“Progress against cancer continues to be hampered by striking, wide static disparities for many racial and ethnic groups,” said senior author Dr. Ahmedin Jemal, senior vice president of surveillance and health equity science at the ACS, in the release.
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The report shows mixed trends for children, with diagnoses declining in recent years for patients 14 years of age and younger, but rising for adolescents between 15 and 19.
“Mortality rates have dropped by 70% in children and by 63% in adolescents since 1970, largely because of improved treatment for leukemia,” the ACS stated in the release.
Pancreatic cancer a growing concern
The ACS report also warns about “lagging progress” against pancreatic cancer, the third-leading cause of cancer death in the U.S.
The ACS report also warns about “lagging progress” against pancreatic cancer, the third-leading cause of cancer death in the U.S. (iStock)
Rates of diagnoses and deaths from the disease type are on the rise.
“Pancreatic is an incredibly deadly form of cancer,” Carpten said.
One of the main issues with pancreatic cancer, he said, is that it sometimes can grow in an individual for up to 10 years before it’s detected.
“If we can identify those cancers when they’re at at a curable stage, we can improve outcomes.”
One of the best opportunities for beating pancreatic cancer is early detection, Carpten said.
“By the time those cancers have advanced, they’ve spread to the liver or other organs, and they’re almost impossible to cure at that stage,” he said.
“If we can identify those cancers when they’re at a curable stage, we can improve outcomes.”
‘It takes a village’
Making progress in fighting cancer “takes a village,” Carpten told Fox News Digital.
“It will require partnerships between the community, the health care system, cancer researchers, government, industry — we all have to work together if we want to continue to see a decrease and an ultimate increase in cures,” he said.
“We all have to work together if we want to continue to see a decrease and an ultimate increase in cures,” a cancer researcher said. (iStock)
Dr. Wayne A. I. Frederick, interim chief executive officer of the American Cancer Society and the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), stated that the report highlights the need to “increase investment in both cancer treatment and care, including equitable screening programs.”
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“Screening programs are a critical component of early detection, and expanding access to these services will save countless lives,” he said in the release.
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“We also must address these shifts in cancer incidence, mainly among women. A concerted effort between health care providers, policymakers and communities needs to be prioritized to assess where and why mortality rates are rising.”
Fox News Digital reached out to the ACS for further comment.
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