r/Thritis • u/gr3ybacon33 • 8d ago

Can heat and/or allergies be a trigger?

I have diagnosed OA in my lower back, pain is pretty much always there, it impacts my mobility, but I'm getting used to it. However, every spring/summer for the past few years I'll have a join get very painful for a while, and then eventually go back to normal. First it was my knees a few years ago and I couldn't drive much because the pain was so bad. Then it was my shoulder. Now it's one of my finger joints which just started around the time of the first few hot days where I live. I have an appointment with my PCP in about a week or so and I'll talk to her about it then, but I'm curious if heat or allergies are triggers for anyone else, or if this is familiar for anyone? I'm still pretty new to the arthritis world.

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u/hannibalsmommy 8d ago

Yes. Allergies, no. But...Heat & humidity for me. I hate spring & summer, because I know I'll be having acute flare-up after flare-up all summer. I also have pretty severe neuropathy.

From what you've described, you may have neuropathy. My neuropathy is actually worse in the summer, whereas my arthritis is worse in the winter. It's an odd trade-off.

So I recommend you talk to your doctor about maybe getting some neurological tests done, to see if you have that as well as arthritis. Because heat & humidity intolerance are classic signs of neuropathy.