Myths About Cold Weather and Back Pain

If you experience back pain, you have likely heard a variety of claims on the topic, including how temperature affects it. Some of the most common questions people have about back pain and temperature involve the effect of cold weather. It’s time to bust these myths so you can have an accurate understanding of back pain.

Myth: People living in cold climates get diagnosed with back pain more often than those living in warmer climates.

This is pure myth because there is no statistical backing to this claim. Climate does not determine if a person is more or less likely to experience back pain. Individuals living in warmer climates are just as likely to experience back pain as individuals living in cold climates. Many reasons for back pain include issues with nerves, muscles, ligaments, and bones – as well as other systemic medical conditions. These issues can affect anyone around the planet and do not affect certain groups of people more than others simply because of the climate in which they live.

Myth: Cold weather makes back pain worse.

Temperature alone does not affect the intensity or duration of back pain, because many other factors play a role. For example, if the back pain is caused by a bone issue, temperature will not affect the bone. Cold weather will not make the bone damage any worse or better. Similarly, if you experience back pain because of nerve issues, cold weather will not make it any worse or better, because the pain is from an issue deep in the body, not an external issue like temperature.

Myth: Moving to a warmer climate will ease back pain.

Many people believe that moving to a warmer climate can help reduce or eliminate back pain, but this is simply not true. Perhaps Florida as a prime retirement destination is a good example of this. If you have back pain and live in a colder climate, moving to a warmer place will not magically fix the problem. You need to address the cause of the back pain with a doctor to get relief.

Myth: Hot baths after a freezing day will help reduce back pain.

Taking a hot bath right after coming inside from freezing weather will not fix any back pain you are feeling. In fact, moving from a cold temperature to a hot temperature very quickly can do more damage than benefit because it’s a shock to the system.

The rapid change in temperature will shift the body’s blood flow very quickly and cause the veins – previously expanded for increased blood circulation in the cold temperature – to contract in the heat. The rapid shift can cause you to become lightheaded and even faint.